Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman James Timpona was struck and killed by a streetcar while working a school crossing at the intersection of Frankstown Road and Putnam Street. He suffered a fractured skull and died after being taken to a local hospital. He had been seriously injured in a similar accident in 1938 when he was struck by another trolley while on duty. He suffered a skull fracture in the first incident and remained in a coma for 15 days. Patrolman Timpona was a U.S. Army veteran of WWI and had served with the Pittsburgh Police Department for 27 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, sister, and three brothers.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-C2B27327- 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.
Patrolman Timpona gave the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police 27 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
James V. Timpona served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman James V. Timpona 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 Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, 38 of 101 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 37.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James V. Timpona's cause is highlighted.
How James V. Timpona Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James V. Timpona is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
100 officers from Pittsburgh Bureau of Police are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
