Man with short black hair and a serious expression wearing a gray shirt in a neutral background.

Man with short black hair and a serious expression wearing a gray shirt in a neutral background.
Bekhzod Asrarov/Image via Ohio State Police.

A promising young athlete’s life was cut short in the early hours of Sunday, July 5, 2026, when a semi-truck driven by an illegal immigrant, an Uzbek national who couldn’t speak English, rear-ended his vehicle on Interstate 71 in Madison County, Ohio.

Tobias “Toby” Forsythe, 21, a goalkeeper for the UMass Lowell men’s soccer team, was driving around 1:37 a.m. when a semi-truck, driven by Bekhzod Asrarov, 42, struck Forsythe’s car from behind, causing the truck to cross the median into northbound lanes and triggering additional collisions.

Forsythe was pronounced dead at the scene.

Asrarov sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital. Before being taken to the hospital, and while Forsythe lay dying, Asrarov took the time to allegedly tamper with his dashcam to hide evidence of the deadly crash.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol has charged Asrarov with tampering with evidence (a third-degree felony), alleging he concealed the dashboard camera from investigators.

The broader crash investigation continues.

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy shared, ” Tobias ‘Toby’ Forsythe was just 21, a star goalie for the UMass Lowell soccer team with his whole life ahead of him.”

“On Sunday, his life was stolen.”

“A massive semi-truck driven by Bekhzod Asrarov rammed the back of Toby’s car on I-71 in Madison County, Ohio, killing him instantly.”

“At the crash scene, the truck driver ripped out his dash cam and hid it in his pocket. He failed his English language proficiency test and state troopers had to use Google Translate to talk to him.”

“We cannot let truckers 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.”

Forsythe, who is from Gahanna, Ohio, played two seasons at Ashland University and one at Shawnee State before transferring to UMass Lowell.

UMass Lowell Athletics released a statement mourning his loss, “It’s with great sadness we share the passing of Tobias “Toby” Forsythe. Toby, who joined our program this winter, was everything you hope for in a student-athlete and an even better person.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time.”

Head coach Kyle added, “Today, our River Hawk team is grieving the loss of one of our own. Toby was everything you hope for in a student-athlete and an even better person. He was humble, honest, selfless, and the definition of hard work. Every single day, he showed up ready to compete, improve, and do whatever was asked of him. He never looked for shortcuts and never expected anything to be given to him.”

“He simply wanted the opportunity to earn it. As a coach, those are the players you never forget. Toby’s blue-collar mentality, unwavering work ethic, and love for his teammates made our program better every day he was a part of it. I often wish every player approached the game and life the way Toby did.

“Our hearts are with Toby’s family, friends, teammates, and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. We will forever be grateful that Toby was part of our River Hawk family, and we will honor his memory by carrying forward the example he set.”

“Rest easy, Toby. You will always be a River Hawk.”

The dangerous, and unfortunately often deadly, consequences of illegals with a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), many of whom can not speak English or read road signs, have become sadly too frequent.

Safety experts estimate that as many as 130,000 illegal-alien truck drivers may be operating in the United States, with tens of thousands believed to have obtained licenses through illegitimate means.

 

The post Secretary Duffy Blasts Illegal Truck Driver Who Killed UMass Lowell Soccer Star in Ohio Crash – He Failed English Proficiency Test and Tried to Destroy Dash-Cam Evidence: “His life was stolen” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.