James P. Gardner
Agency patch
Patrolman

James P. Gardner

Ohio State Highway Patrol — Columbus, OH
Veteran → Accident
End of Watch February 28, 1948
Age 24
Tour of Duty 5 mo
Badge 172
The Vigil Panel 84 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman James Gardner was killed in an automobile crash while pursuing a vehicle at 8:20 p.m. His patrol car collided with another vehicle and then struck a telephone pole on Highway 62 near Alliance. The other patrolman in the vehicle was seriously injured. Patrolman Gardner was a U.S. Navy veteran of WWII and had served with the Ohio State Highway Patrol for only 5 months, assigned to the Massillon Post.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-6D7BFD36
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew James. Claim this record.

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

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

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.
Patrolman Gardner served with the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Thank you for your service to the people of Ohio, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Highway Patrol
Location Columbus, OH
Platform Identity oshp.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 28, 1948
Tour of Duty 5 mo
Age 24
Badge Number 172
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

James P. Gardner served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman James P. Gardner 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 OH, 318 of 991 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32.1% of this state's fallen. That is 32.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Ohio State Highway Patrol, 33 of 42 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 78.6% of this agency's fallen.

Ohio State Highway Patrol
33
of 42 officers
78.6% Accident
OH — Statewide
318
of 991 officers
32.1% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James P. Gardner's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How James P. Gardner Compares

Age at Death
24
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
0.4
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James P. Gardner is highlighted in Feb.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
708
May
848
Jun
797
Jul
899
Aug
938
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location

Military Service

James P. Gardner served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

Visit James P. Gardner’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.