Illegal immigrant truck driver charged in death of trooper who moved home to care for mom with cancer
An illegal immigrant truck driver who authorities said remained in the U.S.despite being ordered to leave has been charged in the death of a Pennsylvania State Police trooper who had recently moved home to help care for his mother during her cancer treatment.The crash is the latest in a series of fatal wrecks involving noncitizen commercial truck drivers that have prompted the Trump administration to tighten commercial driver's license rules.Michael E.
Pahira Jr., 44, was conducting a commercial vehicle inspection along Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County on Wednesday morning when another semi-truck left the roadway, struck his marked patrol vehicle and the truck he was inspecting before hitting the trooper, according to Pennsylvania State Police.Both semi-truck caught fire after the crash.
Pahira later died at a local hospital.The driver, identified as 33-year-old Michael Bon, a Haitian national living in Brockton, Massachusetts, 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.
His next court date is scheduled for July 15.The Department of Homeland Security has lodged an immigration detainer against him.Michael Pahira joined the Pennsylvania State Police in 2007 and most recently served as a Motor Carrier Enforcement Inspector, conducting commercial vehicle inspections to help keep the state's highways safe.(Pennsylvania State Police)DHS CHIEF MULLIN CLASHES WITH TAPPER OVER HAITI DEPORTATIONS AFTER SUPREME COURT TPS RULINGBon entered the United States through Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in July 2024 under the Biden administration's humanitarian parole program.
He later applied for Temporary Protected Status, but the 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 comm...