State trooper hit and killed along interstate highway during vehicle inspection, officials say
FRACKVILLE, Pa. (Gray News) – A state trooper was killed in the line of duty Wednesday while conducting a commercial vehicle inspection along Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.
Trooper Michael E. Pahira, 44, was inspecting a tractor-trailer in front of his marked patrol unit, which had its emergency lights activated. A semi truck veered off the highway and hit the patrol unit’s side mirror, which struck the car Pahira was inspecting.
The semitruck that veered off the highway also hit Pahira, officials said, and both the vehicle he was inspecting and the semitruck that ran off the road caught on fire.
Pahira was seriously injured and taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
According to court documents, 33-year-old Michael Bon was driving the semitruck that hit Pahira. The documents indicate he’s being charged with vehicular homicide, manslaughter and a long list of other counts.
Pahira enlisted with the Pennsylvania State Police in January of 2007 and was assigned to Troop L, as a motor carrier inspector.
He is the 106th member of the Pennsylvania State Police to die in the line of duty.
Bon is due back in court on July 16.
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