John James Wilding
Agency patch
Patrolman

John James Wilding

Scranton Police Department — Scranton, PA
Accident
End of Watch July 12, 2015
Age 29
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 2 mo
The Vigil Panel 164 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman John Wilding succumbed to injuries sustained the previous night at approximately 3:20 am while pursuing three juveniles who had stolen a vehicle.

The juveniles bailed out of the vehicle in the area of the 300 block of North Main Avenue with several officers, including Patrolman Wilding, chasing them on foot. Patrolman Wilding jumped over a small wall behind a restaurant at 301 North Main Avenue, not realizing that there was a 15-foot drop on the other side. He suffered a serious head injury as a result of the fall.

He was transported to Geisinger Community Medical Center, where he remained until succumbing to his injuries early the next morning.

All three juveniles were arrested and charged as adults with robbery, terroristic threats, and recklessly endangering another person. Additional charges were filed against all three defendants in 2017 while they were still in custody. They pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and were sentenced to 9-18 years in prison. One of the juveniles was granted parole in 2025.

Patrolman Wilding had served with the Scranton Police Department for one year.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

You barely got started.
Patrolman Wilding gave the Scranton Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Scranton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Wilding.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Scranton, Lackawanna County, PA
Platform Identity spd.lackawanna.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 12, 2015
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 2 mo
Age 29
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Cause Detail Fall
Weapon Person

The Sacrifice · Accident

John is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 2015, 53 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 88th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 29. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. John had served 1.2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Sundays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause. The weapon recorded was person, in 0.2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Scranton Police Department has 11 officers remembered here, John among them.

VI

Where

Patrolman John James Wilding

Scranton Police Department · End of Watch July 12, 2015

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 37-E

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