New Jersey State Police, New Jersey
End of Watch Monday, June 11, 1962
Add to My HeroesJoseph Paul DeFrino
Trooper Joseph DeFrino, Trooper Milan Simcak, and Trooper Arthur Abagnale were killed in an automobile accident on the New Jersey Turnpike near the Passaic River Bridge in Kearny.
The troopers were accompanying a dump truck, with red lights flashing and traveling at 15- 20 miles an hour when a bus rounded a curve, hit a car, and then rolled onto the cruiser and pushed it into the truck. The driver of the bus stated that his brakes failed. The troopers were pronounced dead at the scene.
Trooper DeFrino was a United States Air Force veteran and had served with the New Jersey State Police for three years. He was survived by his parents, two sisters, and fiancee.
Bio
- Age 25
- Tour 3 years
- Badge 1605
- Military Veteran
Incident Details
- Cause Automobile crash
Most Recent Reflection
View all 13 ReflectionsOn this 58th year of yours and your partners untimely departure, I would like to say thank you for your sacrifice and let you know that time will never erase your memory and heroism.
Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo (Retired)
Delaware State Police
June 11, 2020
Recent LODD Deaths

Criminal Investigator Steven A. Carnes
Tom Green County District Attorney's Office, TX
EOW: November 13, 2022

Police Officer Gonzalo Carrasco, Jr.
Selma Police Department, CA
EOW: January 31, 2023

Master Patrol Officer Clarence L. "CJ" Williams
Cairo Police Department, GA
EOW: January 28, 2023

Supervisory Officer Jacqueline Montanaro
United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field Operations, US
EOW: January 14, 2023

Police Officer Carl Douglas Kimball
St. Francisville Police Department, LA
EOW: January 12, 2023

Deputy Sheriff Darnell Calhoun
Riverside County Sheriff's Department, CA
EOW: January 13, 2023

Court Services Officer Curtis Matthew Worland
Alaska State Troopers, AK
EOW: December 13, 2022

Chief of Police Justin McIntire
Brackenridge Borough Police Department, PA
EOW: January 2, 2023

Deputy Sheriff Isaiah Cordero
Riverside County Sheriff's Department, CA
EOW: December 29, 2022