The family of Pennsylvania State Trooper Michael Pahira Jr., who was killed on Interstate 81 in July, is suing the Brockton truck driver charged in his death, the trucking company the driver worked for, and the freight broker that arranged the load. The broker claim rests on a May 2026 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that brokers can be sued for carelessly hiring unsafe carriers. Fall River Reporter, Skook News and CBS 21 (WHP) reported the lawsuit.
The driver, Michael Bon, faces criminal charges in Pennsylvania and is presumed innocent. The lawsuit’s claims are allegations that have not been proven.
The crash
- The inspection. Pahira, 44, a nearly 20-year veteran who worked as a motor carrier enforcement inspector, was inspecting a commercial vehicle on the shoulder of I-81 South in Schuylkill County at about 7:01 a.m. on July 1, 2026, according to the complaint as reported by Skook News. The suit says his State Police vehicle was fully off the roadway with its emergency lights on.
- The impact. The complaint alleges that a tractor-trailer driven by Bon left the right lane, crossed the fog line, clipped the police vehicle’s mirror and crashed into the vehicle Pahira was inspecting, then struck and dragged Pahira, Skook News reported. The truck’s cab caught fire. A worker from a nearby construction site pulled Pahira from beneath the burning truck. He died at a hospital.
- Visibility. The suit alleges sworn testimony showed the emergency lights would have been visible from about 1.1 to 1.2 miles away, and to Bon for at least 49 seconds, according to Skook News.
The criminal case
Bon, who had been living in Brockton, faces charges including homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment in Schuylkill County, Skook News and Fall River Reporter reported. He is held on $700,000 bail. After an August 26 preliminary hearing, the case was sent on toward trial; no trial date has been set.
- The seizure defense. Bon’s lawyer has argued he had a history of seizures in Haiti and that a sudden medical episode could explain why the truck left its lane, according to Skook News and CBS 21.
- THC. Testimony at the hearing indicated Bon’s blood contained 1.7 nanograms per milliliter of THC after the crash. He has not been charged with DUI, and the testimony did not establish that he was impaired, Skook News reported.
- Immigration status. Fall River Reporter reported that the Department of Homeland Security lodged an immigration detainer and that federal authorities say Bon entered the country under a parole program in 2024 and stayed after that status was terminated. Massachusetts issued his commercial driver’s license. His attorney has disputed characterizations of his immigration status.
The lawsuit
Patricia Pahira, individually and as administrator of her son’s estate, filed the suit on September 2, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Skook News reported. It seeks more than $150,000 and a jury trial. The law firm Morgan & Morgan represents the family. According to the reports, the suit alleges:
- Against Bon: that he drove while fatigued and with THC in his system, and that he did not disclose a history of seizures on the Department of Transportation medical examination form, which asks, “Do you have or have you ever had seizures / epilepsy.”
- Against Augustin Freight Services LLC, the motor carrier: that it failed to properly vet, train and supervise Bon, and that it had a vehicle out-of-service rate of 40 percent, nearly double the national average, along with unsafe driving and maintenance violations, according to Fall River Reporter. The suit describes the company as having only four drivers.
- Against SNK Logistics LLC, the broker: that it hired Augustin Freight when it knew or should have known of that record, which was publicly available through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Safety Measurement System.
Why the broker claim can go forward now
For years, freight brokers argued that a federal trucking deregulation law shielded them from negligent-hiring suits. The Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act, 49 U.S.C. § 14501(c)(1), bars states from enforcing laws “related to a price, route, or service” of any motor carrier or broker. But § 14501(c)(2)(A) says that bar “shall not restrict the safety regulatory authority of a State with respect to motor vehicles.” Federal appeals courts split on whether that safety exception covers claims against brokers.
The Supreme Court resolved the split in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, No. 24-1238, decided May 14, 2026. In a unanimous opinion by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the Court held that a claim that a broker negligently hired a carrier is not preempted, because the safety exception preserves state authority to regulate safety “with respect to motor vehicles.” The Court reasoned that requiring a broker “to exercise ordinary care in selecting a carrier ‘concerns’ motor vehicles,” most obviously the trucks that will carry the goods. It reversed the Seventh Circuit, which had thrown out the negligent-hiring claim against the broker C.H. Robinson.
The ruling does not decide whether any broker was actually negligent. A plaintiff still has to prove that the broker failed to use reasonable care in choosing the carrier and that the failure caused the harm.
What it means in Massachusetts
Montgomery interprets a federal statute, so it applies nationwide: the federal trucking law no longer blocks a negligent-hiring claim against a broker over a crash on Massachusetts roads. Whether such a claim succeeds depends on state negligence law and the facts, including what the broker knew or should have known about the carrier. Our guide to Massachusetts truck crash claims covers who can be responsible and the deadlines.
Frequently asked questions
Who is charged in Trooper Michael Pahira’s death?
Michael Bon, a truck driver who had been living in Brockton, Massachusetts, faces charges in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, including homicide by vehicle and involuntary manslaughter. He is presumed innocent, and his lawyer has raised a possible seizure.
Can a freight broker be sued for a truck crash?
Yes, after Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II (2026). The Supreme Court unanimously held that the federal trucking law does not preempt a claim that a broker negligently hired an unsafe motor carrier, because of the law’s exception for state safety regulation of motor vehicles.
Where was the Pahira lawsuit filed?
In the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania on September 2, 2026, against Michael Bon, Augustin Freight Services LLC and SNK Logistics LLC.
Sources: Fall River Reporter, October 2026; Skook News and CBS 21 (WHP), September 2026, reporting the complaint. Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, No. 24-1238 (U.S. May 14, 2026), read on CourtListener. 49 U.S.C. § 14501(c) read at Cornell’s Legal Information Institute. The lawsuit’s claims are allegations, and Michael Bon is presumed innocent. General information, not legal advice.