FOX56 NEWSROOM-The trooper killed Wednesday morning while conducting a commercial vehicle inspection along Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County as Trooper Michael E. Pahira, a 20-year veteran of the force.

Acting State Police Commissioner Lt. Col. George Bivens described Pahira as an exceptional trooper and motor carrier enforcement officer.

“He was an outstanding trooper, an excellent motor carrier enforcement officer,” Bivens said. “He was considered to be one of our best.”

According to state police, Pahira was conducting a commercial vehicle safety inspection near mile marker 119 on Interstate 81 south when another tractor-trailer traveling south left the roadway and entered the shoulder.

Investigators said the truck struck Pahira’s marked inspection vehicle, pushing it into the tractor-trailer he was inspecting. Bivens said the impact drove the inspected truck “quite some distance” along the shoulder and into the grass.

Pahira, who had been standing near the driver’s door of the inspected tractor-trailer, was struck and trapped beneath one of the vehicles.

The truck that left the roadway caught fire while Pahira remained trapped underneath, according to state police.

Other troopers and emergency responders pulled Pahira from beneath the burning vehicle and immediately began life-saving efforts. Bivens said medical personnel worked for approximately 90 minutes to save him, but he never regained consciousness and later died at the hospital.

Gov. Josh Shapiro said Pahira had dreamed of becoming a police officer and remembered him as a devoted family member and public servant.

“He was a good man and a good cop,” Shapiro said.

Shapiro also ordered United States and Commonwealth flags lowered to half-staff in Pahira’s honor.

“This morning, we lost one of our very finest when Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Michael Pahira died in the line of duty in Schuylkill County.

I just left Lehigh Valley Hospital – Schuylkill where I spent time with Mike’s parents, Patti and Mike, his sister, Jen, and some of his friends and fellow troopers. They told me about Mike — about how great a man he was, about his high school wrestling record, his love of cooking, and his commitment to caring for his mother as she battles cancer.

Trooper Pahira was the very best of us — Lori and I are praying for the PA State Police family and our local law enforcement partners after losing another one of their own.

I’ve directed flags across the Commonwealth to be lowered to half-staff in honor of Trooper Pahira.

May his memory forever be a blessing.”

Court records show Michael Bon, 33, of Brockton, Massachusetts, was charged Wednesday with homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, two counts of recklessly endangering another person, reckless driving, careless driving resulting in an unintentional death, failing to properly navigate an emergency response area, improper lane usage and failure to obey a traffic control device.