A Pennsylvania State Police trooper was killed Wednesday morning while conducting a commercial vehicle inspection along Interstate 81 south, officials confirmed.
The trooper has been identified as Trooper Michael E. Pahira, a 20-year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police and a motor carrier enforcement officer assigned to the Frackville barracks.
According to state police, the fatal crash occurred around 7 a.m. near mile marker 119 on I-81 southbound as Trooper Pahira was conducting a commercial vehicle safety inspection on a tractor-trailer pulled over along the shoulder.
Investigators said another tractor-trailer traveling southbound left the roadway and entered the shoulder, striking the marked inspection vehicle. The impact forced the inspection vehicle into the tractor-trailer being inspected. Trooper Pahira, who was standing near the driver’s side door of the inspected truck, was struck and became trapped beneath the vehicles.
Authorities said the striking tractor-trailer then caught fire while the trooper remained pinned underneath.
Emergency responders and fellow troopers rushed to the scene and were able to pull him from beneath the burning wreckage. Life-saving efforts were immediately initiated, and medical personnel worked for approximately 90 minutes to revive him. Despite those efforts, Trooper Pahira never regained consciousness and was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
Acting Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Lt. Col. George Bivens described Pahira as one of the department’s finest officers, praising his professionalism and dedication to motor carrier enforcement.
Governor Josh Shapiro also paid tribute, calling him “a good man and a good cop,” and ordering flags across Pennsylvania and the United States to be flown at half-staff in his honor.
The driver of the tractor-trailer that caused the initial impact was transported to a hospital for treatment. Authorities have not released the driver’s identity or condition, and it remains unclear whether criminal charges will be filed.
Interstate 81 southbound was shut down for several hours between Exit 124A and Exit 119 as investigators processed the scene and examined the heavily damaged vehicles, including the burned tractor-trailer.
State police say the investigation remains ongoing as they work to determine the exact sequence of events leading to the deadly crash.
Trooper Michael E. Pahira’s death marks a profound loss for the Pennsylvania State Police and the community he served with dedication for two decades.
