A 21-year-old college soccer player, Tobias “Toby” Forsythe, was killed in a high-speed crash in Ohio when a semi-truck driven by an admitted non-English-speaking driver crossed a median and struck his vehicle, sparking renewed demands from Republican officials to remove unqualified drivers from America’s highways.

21-Year-Old College Soccer Player Is Latest Fatality As Trucker Who Failed English Test Slams Into Car

Around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, Tobias “Toby” Forsythe, a 21-year-old goalkeeper for the University of Massachusetts-Lowell men’s soccer team, was killed on Interstate 71 in Madison County, Ohio. A semi-truck driven by 42-year-old Behkzod Asrarov crossed the median cable barrier, entered the northbound lane, and rear-ended Forsythe’s car, leaving a community grieving and a family without a son.

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Investigators found that Asrarov had removed the dash cam from the truck cab; the camera was later recovered in his hospital pocket while the mount and cord remained in the vehicle. He held an Ohio commercial driver’s license, but troopers needed translation tools to communicate because he previously failed an English proficiency test. Authorities say he also attempted to destroy phones and a logging device after the crash, actions that led to a tampering with evidence charge.

Asrarov is described as an Uzbek national who entered the U.S. in 2024 through the diversity lottery. The lack of basic language ability on our roads is not a theoretical problem anymore; it has produced a preventable death. Officials are pointing to this crash as an example of why language and competency matter for drivers of 80,000-pound rigs that share lanes with everyday Americans.

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy commented publicly on the case, saying in part:

“We cannot let truck drivers like Asrarov, who can’t read our road signs or speak to law enforcement, drive 80,000-pound rigs on America’s highways. I am praying for Toby’s family and loved ones after this horrible loss. We will never stop fighting to keep these dangerous truck drivers OFF THE ROAD so no other parents have to endure this unimaginable grief.”

The problem of unqualified or non-domiciled drivers operating commercial vehicles came into the spotlight after several deadly crashes involving drivers who could not communicate or follow basic road rules. One example from August 2025 involved a driver who made an illegal U-turn and caused a crash that killed three people. Those incidents prompted sharper enforcement efforts by Republican officials demanding action at weigh stations and across state lines.

Federal and state authorities are now coordinating to identify and remove drivers who lack proper licensing, language skills, or adherence to safety rules. U.S. Border Czar Tom Homan has described joint operations at commercial weigh stations where federal immigration agents and state troopers work together to apprehend non-domiciled drivers. Officials report tens of thousands of non-domiciled licenses have been revoked nationwide as part of this crackdown.

Beyond enforcement, the case raises policy questions about how foreign nationals enter and are cleared to operate heavy commercial vehicles in the United States. Critics argue that procedures allowing individuals with insufficient English skills or dubious documentation onto American roads need tightening. Republican leaders are framing this as a public safety failure that requires both border control and stricter vetting for commercial driver qualifications.

This crash also exposed troubling on-scene behavior by the truck driver, namely attempts to hide evidence and to communicate only through translation apps. Prosecutors charged him with tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony in Ohio, and investigators said he tried to destroy several devices in his possession. Those actions feed public anger and reinforce demands for tougher standards and faster removal of dangerous drivers from the road.

Communities and athletic programs are left to cope with sudden loss, while policymakers debate next steps. For his teammates, family, and friends, Forsythe’s death is a painful reminder that regulatory gaps can have fatal consequences. Republican voices are using the case to press for immediate reforms that prioritize safety over leniency and to prevent similar tragedies.