ATOKA COUNTY, Okla. -- The Oklahoma Highway Patrol has confirmed the 43-year-old man killed in a collision in Atoka County on Monday was an inmate at the McAlford Correctional Facility.

Ted Eugene Hess, 43, of Stringtown, and another inmate had been assigned to road maintenance earlier in the day. Authorities believe they were on their way back to the prison at the time of the accident.

The accident was caused by a chain reaction when one car slid out of control on the pavement and hit another vehicle, causing that car to cross into the westbound lane, slamming into the inmates’ truck.

The patrol says the drivers of two of the vehicles were pinned for about 40 minutes.

Troopers say the cause of the collision is under investigation but that the roadway was wet when the crash occurred.

"There's several vehicles involved, and we have to conduct the investigation to find out where the vehicles were at impact and where they were prior to impact to see what caused the accident," OHP Trooper Brandon Seward said.

OHP officials say they will be collecting evidence and that the investigation could continue the next six weeks.