A nearly 20-year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police died Wednesday in a crash along Interstate 81 South in Schuylkill County.
The slain trooper was identified as Trooper Michael Pahira, who was struck just before 7 a.m. on the side of the interstate in Cass Twp., said Lt. Col. George Bivens, the acting state police commissioner.
Pahira had a tractor trailer pulled off the side of the internet for an inspection. Another vehicle lost control and struck the truck and Pahira.
Critically wounded, Pahira never regained consciousness, Bivens said. He died at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Pottsville after a “valiant attempt” to save his life.
“The man died a hero,” Bivens told reporters at the hospital, hours after Pahira died. “He was an outstanding trooper and excellent motor carrier operator…he was considered one of our best.”
The crash happened while Pahira was speaking with the driver of the truck he was inspecting. Another truck traveling south left the road “for an as yet undetermined reason” caused a chain reaction crash that saw Pahira dragged underneath a truck that caught on fire, Bivens said.
Bivens said it was “too early to talk about” whether the state police will file criminal charges but “clearly something very bad happened here.” The crash investigation was still in its preliminary stage, Bivens said.
Speaking with reporters, Gov. Josh Shapiro said Pahira was a devoted brother, uncle and son. His mother is battling cancer and Pahira just helped her shave her head. Recognizing she needs more iron, he cooked her steak fajitas Tuesday night for dinner.
“He was a good man and he was a good cop and he was taken from us far too soon as he served his community,” Shapiro said.
This is a developing story; check back for updates.