A Massachusetts truck driver has been charged following the crash that claimed the life of Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Michael E. Pahira Jr. Wednesday morning along Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County.
Michael Bon, 33, of Brockton, Massachusetts, was arraigned Wednesday evening before Magisterial District Judge Christian Lengel on multiple charges, including felony counts of homicide by vehicle and aggravated assault by vehicle, according to court records.
Additional charges filed against Bon include two counts of recklessly endangering another person, involuntary manslaughter, reckless driving, careless driving resulting in an unintentional death, failure to properly respond in an emergency response area, improper lane usage, and failure to obey a traffic control device. Bon is locked up in Schuylkill County Prison unable to post the $700,000 straight cash bail set by Judge Lengel. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for July 16.
The charges stem from a fatal crash that occurred at approximately 7 a.m. Wednesday on Interstate 81 southbound near Mile Marker 119.3 in Cass Township.
According to an updated release from the Pennsylvania State Police, Trooper Michael E. Pahira Jr., 44, a Schuylkill County native and Motor Carrier Inspector assigned to Troop L in Frackville, was conducting a commercial motor vehicle inspection while standing outside his patrol vehicle near the cab of a tractor-trailer parked on the shoulder of the interstate. His marked patrol vehicle was positioned behind the commercial vehicle with its emergency lights activated.
State Police said a second commercial motor vehicle, driven by Bon, traveling southbound left the roadway, struck the side mirror of Trooper Pahira's patrol unit, and then collided with the rear of the truck being inspected, forcing it farther off the shoulder. The second tractor-trailer then struck Trooper Pahira. Both commercial vehicles caught fire following the collision.
Trooper Pahira suffered critical injuries and was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead by Schuylkill County Deputy Coroner Andrew Szczyglak at 11:45am.. Bon was injured and transported to the hospital. The operator of the truck being inspected was not injured.
Governor Josh Shapiro and Acting Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Lt. Col. George Bivens identified the fallen trooper during a Wednesday afternoon press conference.
Trooper Pahira enlisted in the Pennsylvania State Police in January 2007 and served with Troop L in Frackville as a Motor Carrier Inspector. His death marks the 106th line-of-duty death in the history of the Pennsylvania State Police.