Incident
Sergeant Joe Champion was killed in an automobile crash while on patrol in Middlesex Township, Butler County. Another vehicle struck his patrol car. He succumbed to his injuries two days later. Sergeant Champion had served with the U.S Marine Corps and with the Pennsylvania State Highway Patrol for almost 12 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-CE8CA0EA- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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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.
Sergeant Champion gave the Pennsylvania State Highway Patrol 12 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Joe B. Champion served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Sergeant Joe B. Champion is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 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 2.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Pennsylvania State Highway Patrol, 10 of 18 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 55.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joe B. Champion's cause is highlighted.
How Joe B. Champion Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Joe B. Champion is highlighted in Jul.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
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