Francis Michael Tessitore

Pennsylvania State Police — Harrisburg, PA

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch August 5, 1960

Age 28

Tour of Duty 6 yrs 10 mo

The Vigil Panel 95 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 86

Incident

Trooper Francis Tessitore was struck and killed by a tractor trailer while arresting a man he had stopped for speeding in Chester County. Trooper Tessitore was standing behind the vehicle preparing his report when a 17-year-old truck driver, who had been behind the wheel for 23 straight hours, fell asleep, ran off the road, and struck the trooper and the driver he was arresting. Both were killed instantly. Trooper Tessitore was a U.S Navy Veteran of the Korean War and served with the Pennsylvania State Police for almost seven years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two daughters, parents, and two brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-A4E3B707
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Francis is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Trooper Tessitore gave the Pennsylvania State Police 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Pennsylvania, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Pennsylvania State Police

Type State Police

Location Harrisburg, PA

Platform Identity pasp.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 5, 1960

Tour of Duty 6 yrs 10 mo

Age 28

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Francis Michael Tessitore served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Trooper Francis Michael Tessitore is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In PA, 417 of 1,261 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.1% of this state's fallen. That is 33.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Pennsylvania State Police, 42 of 87 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 48.3% of this agency's fallen.

Pennsylvania State Police

of 87 officers

48.3% Accident

PA — Statewide

417

of 1,261 officers

33.1% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Accident