Trooper Joseph E. Gearty
1961 - 1989

28 years old
Tour of Duty: 7 years
Died on November 30, 1989

Cause of Death:Automobile Accident

Date of Incident: Wednesday, November 29, 1989

Weapon Used :N/A

Suspect Info:N/A

Trooper Gearty was a seven-year veteran of the New Hampshire State Police who was most recently assigned to Troop F in Twin Mountain. He was born and raised in Norwood, Massachusetts and graduated from Blue Hills Regional High School in Canton, Massachusetts in 1980. After high school, he served three years in the United States Army as a military police officer. At the time of his death he lived in Rumney, New Hampshire with his wife and son.

Trooper Gearty died in the line of duty along with Trooper Gary Parker while the two were transporting a prisoner to the Grafton County Jail. While traveling on Route 25 near the Wentworth-Warren town line, their cruiser was crushed by a load of lumber that broke loose from a tractor-trailer.

The prisoner was also killed in the accident. Trooper Gearty was 28 years old.

Trooper Gearty was survived by his wife and their six-month old son.