John P. McCarthy
Agency patch
Trooper

John P. McCarthy

New Jersey State Police — West Trenton, NJ
Accident
End of Watch September 25, 1982
Age 27
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Badge 3265
The Vigil Panel 278 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Trooper John McCarthy was struck and killed by a vehicle on the New Jersey Turnpike. Around 12:08 a.m., Trooper McCarthy and his partner were arresting a suspected drunk driver who crashed into a guardrail in the southbound lanes near the sports complex. Trooper McCarthy was walking to the left median when he was hit. He was transported to Riverside General Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. Trooper McCarthy had served with the New Jersey State Police for just over 4 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Trooper McCarthy gave the New Jersey State Police 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of New Jersey. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper McCarthy.

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

Agency

Type State Police
Location West Trenton, NJ
Platform Identity njsp.nj.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 25, 1982
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Age 27
Badge Number 3265
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

John is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1982, 70 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 48th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 27. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. John had served 4 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

September holds 9.2% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Saturdays: 14.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

New Jersey State Police has 84 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Trooper John P. McCarthy

New Jersey State Police · End of Watch September 25, 1982

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 35-W

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