Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Richard Champion was killed in a vehicle crash while pursuing a vehicle on Pittsburgh Road, in Perry Township, at approximately 1:00 p.m.
During the pursuit another vehicle turned in front of Officer Champion's patrol car, causing a collision. Officer Champion became trapped in the patrol car while it caught fire. Several citizens attempted to break the windows but were unable to free him from the wreckage. The driver of the other vehicle in the crash was transported to a hospital in critical condition.
The vehicle he was pursuing continued to flee the and the driver remains at large.
Officer Champion was a military veteran. He had served with the Perryopolis Borough Police Department for eight months and also worked part-time with the Derry Borough Police Department.
In May 2017, Route 51 in Fayette County was renamed Officer Richard Champion Highway.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and 16-month-old child.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-53F098E7- 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. Army, salute.nw. One record, 3 gates. Richard 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.
Police Officer Champion served with the Perryopolis Borough Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Perryopolis community. Thank you 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
Richard Anthony Champion served in the U.S. Army (2003â2004) before joining law enforcement.
Police Officer Richard Anthony Champion 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Richard Anthony Champion's cause is highlighted.
How Richard Anthony Champion Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Richard Anthony Champion is highlighted in Dec.
Incident Location
Military Service
Richard Anthony Champion served in the U.S. Army (2003–2004) before joining law enforcement.
Visit Richard Anthony Champion’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
0 officers from Perryopolis Borough Police Department are honored on badge.nw.