A college soccer player has been killed in a fatal car crash involving an Uzbek driver who allegedly can’t speak English and ripped out the dash cam from his own vehicle.
UMass Lowell goalkeeper Tobias Forsythe died at the age of 21 after the collision in Ohio in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Forsythe’s Honda Accord was struck by a semi-truck being driven by Bekhzod Asrarov, 42, on Interstate 71 southbound in Madison County at around 1:30am.
President Donald Trump’s transport secretary, Sean Duffy, posted about the incident on X. In a lengthy statement, he alleged Asrarov was unable to speak English and tore out his own dash cam after the crash.
Jail records show Asrarov was booked on Sunday and is facing one felony count of tampering with evidence.
Questioning why Asrarov was allowed on American roads, Duffy wrote: ‘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.
A college football player has been killed in a fatal car crash involving an Uzbek driver in Ohio
Bekhzod Asrarov, 42, is facing one felony count of tampering with evidence after the crash
‘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.’
According to Fox, Asrarov was admitted to the United States during the Biden administration via a diversity lottery in 2024 and holds a commercial driver’s license from Ohio.
Fox has also reported that Asrarov attempted to destroy his three phones and logging device in the aftermath of the crash.
Forsythe, an economics major, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which is still under investigation.
Announcing the news, Lynn Coutts, UMass Lowell’s director of athletics, said the school has been left ‘heartbroken’ by Forsythe’s death.
‘Although Toby’s time as a River Hawk was cut far too short, he left a meaningful impact and will always be remembered as a cherished member of our UMass Lowell family,’ Coutts said.
‘We send our deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones, and we are committed to supporting our student-athletes and staff as we mourn this tremendous loss together.’
Forsythe joined the UMass Lowell soccer team for the 2026 spring season after previously playing for both Ashland University and Shawnee State in Ohio.
‘Toby was everything you hope for in a student-athlete and an even better person,’ UML coach Kyle Zenoni added.
‘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.’
