Family of Pennsylvania State Trooper Files Lawsuit Following Fatal Crash Involving Truck Driver

<p>The family of Pennsylvania State Trooper Michael Pahira Jr., who was killed in a crash involving a truck driver, has filed a federal lawsuit against the driver, his employer, and the freight broker that hired the trucking company.</p><p>Patricia Pahira filed the lawsuit both individually and as the administrator of her son's estate. The suit names Michael Bon, a Haitian national, Augustin Freight Services, and SNK Logistics as defendants, according to ABC 27.</p><p>The six-count complaint seeks over $150,000 in wrongful death, survival, and punitive damages, alleging that negligence and reckless disregard for federal safety regulations contributed to Pahira's death. The allegations have not yet been proven in court.</p><p>Bon allegedly struck and killed Pahira on July 1 while the trooper was inspecting a commercial vehicle on the shoulder of Interstate 81 in Cass Township.</p><p>The lawsuit claims Bon drove while tired and that Augustin Freight Services was aware or should have been aware of his lack of qualifications, training, and experience to operate the vehicle safely.</p><p>The family also accuses SNK Logistics of failing to properly vet Augustin Freight Services, which had a poor safety record, including only four drivers, 82 unsafe driving violation points in just over a year, and 144 maintenance violation points in the same timeframe, according to ABC 27.</p><p>Bon allegedly struck Pahira and dragged him beneath the truck for a significant distance as the vehicle caught fire, according to Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens.</p><p>Pahira, a 20-year veteran of the state police, had recently moved back in with his parents to care for his mother, who was battling cancer.</p><p>The Biden administration released Bon into the U.S. in July 2024 under a humanitarian parole program that allowed certain migrants to enter the country. Bon had applied for Temporary Protected Status but was denied, according to the Department of Homeland Security. He lost his immigration parole status in June 2025 and was ordered to leave the U.S. but did not comply.</p><p>In March 2025, Bon obtained a Massachusetts commercial driver’s license, which was renewed in February 2026, prior to a directive from the Trump administration to halt the issuance of non-domiciled licenses for drivers who did not meet federal eligibility requirements.</p><p>Bon is currently held on $700,000 bail in Schuylkill County Prison and faces charges including homicide by vehicle and involuntary manslaughter. The criminal case is ongoing.</p><p>The Trump administration had previously sought to prevent illegal immigrants from operating commercial vehicles following a series of severe accidents.</p><p>As part of this initiative, federal authorities recently shut down 110 commercial trucking schools associated with over 5,000 drivers who failed English-language proficiency tests, some of whom were illegal immigrants.</p><p>Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated, "You have to speak English to operate a commercial motor vehicle. I didn’t create that rule, President Trump didn’t create that rule; that rule has been in place for decades. We have schools that know the rule and still pass people through their school who can’t speak the language."</p>