MADISON COUNTY, OHIO — Newly released video is adding more detail to the investigation of a deadly Interstate 71 crash that killed 21-year-old college soccer player Tobias “Toby” Forsythe.
The video shows Bekhzod Asrarov, the Uzbek semi-truck driver charged in the case, sitting in the back of an ambulance after the crash with an oxygen mask on as troopers tried to investigate what happened and locate a missing dash camera.
Video Shows Troopers Trying to Communicate With Driver
According to the newly released video, medics told Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers at the scene that Asrarov was Uzbek and did not speak English.
A trooper asked Asrarov for his license, and Asrarov handed over his commercial driver’s license.
Troopers also asked him to hand over his cellphone while investigators worked to locate the truck’s dash camera.
The video shows a medic using Google Translate in an attempt to communicate with Asrarov at the scene.
Ohio State Highway Patrol said Asrarov removed a dash camera from his truck following the crash.
Driver Appeared in Court With Interpreter
Asrarov appeared in court Friday and used an interpreter during the hearing.
He is charged with falsification and was released on bond with an ankle monitor. His wife and family were present in the courtroom.
His attorney said Asrarov had worked for his trucking company for about one year. The company’s name has not been made public.
Madison County prosecutors said additional charges could be filed once crash reconstruction and toxicology reports are complete.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Crash Killed College Soccer Player
The crash happened just after 1:30 a.m. Sunday on southbound I-71 near mile marker 82 in Madison County.
According to Ohio State Highway Patrol, Asrarov was driving a Freightliner when he struck a 2025 Honda Accord.
Forsythe, 21, of Gahanna, was driving the Honda and suffered fatal injuries. He died at the scene.
Asrarov was taken to Grant Medical Center and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Forsythe played college soccer for UMass Lowell. His family is preparing for a private funeral next week.
CDL and English Proficiency Questions Raised
Records obtained by local media show Asrarov received his Ohio commercial driver’s license in fall 2024.
The Department of Homeland Security told local media that Asrarov legally entered the United States with a green card in 2024.
The crash has renewed questions about how commercial driver’s licenses are issued and whether English proficiency standards are being properly enforced.
Darren Grose, a longtime truck driver and CDL trainer, said he believes the system has serious problems.
“Something’s wrong. The system needs changed,” Grose said.
Grose said he has personally seen CDL testing administered to drivers in languages other than English.
“I understand everyone has to work. But there’s certain jobs you can do without speaking English. There are certain jobs you can’t do. You have to be able to read signs,” Grose said.
Trainer Says Standards Need Attention
Grose also raised concerns that the driver shortage has led to lower standards in some cases.
“Certain states will put them behind the wheel without a green card, without speaking English, without being a citizen,” Grose said. “My trainees got 12 weeks of training and it’s not always like that.”
He added that he believes many unqualified drivers remain on the road.
“There’s still thousands of drivers out there that shouldn’t be behind the wheel. I can’t even begin to describe what I see on the road,” Grose said.
Drivers who train through third-party CDL schools in Ohio must still pass Ohio BMV testing, including a pre-trip inspection, skills test, road test, and English proficiency test.
Local media reported that they asked the Ohio BMV about its English proficiency standards and were awaiting a response.
USDOT Defends Recent Trucking Rule Changes
A U.S. Department of Transportation spokesperson defended recent regulatory changes aimed at commercial driver licensing and foreign drivers.
“Secretary Duffy has spent the last year in office reining in a trucking industry allowed to operate like the Wild West under Biden and Buttigieg,” the spokesperson said. “That’s why the Department issued a final rule stopping unqualified and unvetted foreign drivers from obtaining licenses to drive commercial trucks and buses. States that operate recklessly and fail to enforce our common sense rules will be held accountable.”
The crash remains under investigation by Ohio State Highway Patrol.
📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.
