Roll of Honor
Incident
Trooper First Class Michael Pahira was struck and killed by a commercial vehicle while conducting a vehicle safety inspection on Interstate Highway 81 in Cass Township.
At 7:00 a.m., Trooper Pahira was in the southbound lanes near exit 119 inspecting a commercial vehicle when a tractor-trailer struck his patrol vehicle and slammed into the inspected vehicle. Due to the speed of the tractor-trailer, the force pushed the commercial vehicle into the side of the road and trapped Trooper Pahira under the vehicle. The tractor-trailer then caught fire.
Trooper Pahira was transported to the hospital, but succumbed to his injuries 90 minutes later.
The driver, in the country illegally, of the tractor-trailer was injured and transported to a local hospital. He was charged with homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, and reckless driving.
Trooper Pahira had served with the Pennsylvania State Police for less than 20 years and was assigned to Troop L in Frackville.
Survivors
Trooper Pahira had served with the Pennsylvania State Police for less than 20 years, assigned to Troop L in Frackville. Survivors include his parents and sister.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-PA-8A7BFC8E- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- July 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Trooper Pahira gave the Pennsylvania State Police 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Pennsylvania. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Pahira.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Trooper Michael E. Pahira, Jr. is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In PA, 417 of 1,261 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Pennsylvania State Police, 42 of 87 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 48.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Michael E. Pahira, Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How Michael E. Pahira, Jr. Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Michael E. Pahira, Jr. is highlighted in Jul.
Others Who Wore This Badge
86 officers from Pennsylvania State Police are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
