A 33-year-old Haitian national living in Massachusetts has been charged in the death of a Pennsylvania State Police trooper who was conducting a commercial vehicle inspection. The crash occurred on Wednesday morning along Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County when the suspect's semi-truck left the roadway, struck the trooper's marked patrol vehicle, and another semi-truck before catching fire. The trooper, Michael E. Pahira Jr., 44, later died at a local hospital.
The driver, identified as Michael Bon, was charged with homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, reckless driving, and six additional lesser charges. He is being held at Schuylkill County Prison on $700,000 bail, with his next court date scheduled for July 15. The Department of Homeland Security has lodged an immigration detainer against him.
Bon entered the United States in July 2024 under the Biden administration's humanitarian parole program. He later applied for Temporary Protected Status, but his application was denied. DHS terminated his parole in June 2025 and ordered him to leave the country, but he remained in the United States. While living in Massachusetts, Bon obtained a non-domiciled commercial driver's license in March 2025.
The crash is the latest in a series of fatal wrecks involving noncitizen commercial truck drivers, prompting the Trump administration to tighten commercial driver's license rules. The incident has raised questions about immigration enforcement and the vetting process for commercial drivers.