James Robert Wolfe

Wheeling Police Department — Wheeling, WV

Accident

End of Watch January 31, 1931

Age 23

The Vigil Panel 61 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 8

Incident

Patrolman Wolfe was killed in a motorcycle accident while chasing a speeder. Patrolman Wolfe died at the North Wheeling Hospital two hours after his motorcycle had skidded on the wet River Road, near the Wheeling terminal bridge, and catapulted him into a Wheeling Traction passenger waiting station. Patrolman Wolfe had the fatal accident while chasing a speeder north of the River road. His motorcycle is believed to have skidded on the wet Streetcar rails.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-WV-5EB76E34
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 Wolfe served with the Wheeling Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Wheeling community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Wolfe.

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

Agency

Department Wheeling Police Department

Location Wheeling, WV

Platform Identity wpd.ohio.wv.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 31, 1931

Age 23

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Patrolman James Robert Wolfe 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 WV, 54 of 232 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 23.3% of this state's fallen. That is 7.7 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.

At Wheeling Police Department, 4 of 9 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 44.4% of this agency's fallen.

Wheeling Police Department

of 9 officers

44.4% Accident

WV — Statewide

of 232 officers

23.3% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident