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Patrolman

Joseph Gioia

Farrell City Police Department — Farrell, PA

Accident

End of Watch June 21, 1922

Age 35

Tour of Duty 5 mo

The Vigil Panel 43 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Patrolman Joseph Gioia was killed after being run over by a fire truck that was leaving the fire station shortly after midnight.

He was patrolling near the fire station when he saw a large amount of smoke coming from a nearby building. After calling in the fire, he ran to the fire station and attempted to board the fire truck as it pulled out of the station. He slipped and fell beneath the rear of the wheels of the truck and was crushed as it continued towards the fire.

Patrolman Gioia was transported to Buhl Hospital in Sharon, where he succumbed to his injuries two hours later.

Patrolman Gioia had served with the Farrell City Police Department for five months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, father, and sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-625A726A
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Gioia served with the Farrell City Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Farrell community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Gioia.

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

Agency

Department Farrell City Police Department

Location Farrell, PA

Platform Identity fpd.mercer.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 21, 1922

Tour of Duty 5 mo

Age 35

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Patrolman Joseph Gioia 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%.

Farrell City Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Accident

PA — Statewide

417

of 1,261 officers

33.1% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph Gioia's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Joseph Gioia Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Accident: 38.1 years

Years of Service

0.4