Swoyersville police officer and Wyoming firefighter Andrew Jones died in a motor vehicle accident while off duty early Sunday morning in Carbon County.
Swoyersville police announced Jones’ death in a post to the department’s Facebook page.
“Our sincerest condolences are pledged to his family and fiancee during this time of grief,” the post states. “The law enforcement community has truly lost a great officer!”
Jones, 25, was hired as a full-time officer with Swoyersville police in October. Prior to that, he had worked as a part-time officer for Swoyersville and other boroughs.
Swoyersville Mayor Christopher Concert said it made him proud to swear in Jones as a full-time officer less than three months ago.
Concert recalled Jones — known as “A.J.” — as a young man eager to help his community in any way possible. Concert said he spoke with Jones on Saturday, when Jones worked a shift during which his duties included escorting Santa Claus in a parade.
“He liked doing that,” Concert said. “He not only liked being an officer, he wanted to do great things for our borough.”
Jones “always had a smile on,” Concert added. “But when he needed to be serious, he was serious.”
According to a report on the website of the Lehighton Times-News, the fatal accident happened about 2 a.m. Sunday in Mahoning Twp., Carbon County.
Jones lost control of his vehicle on Mill Road, ran off the roadway and collided with a tree, the report states.
Police escorted Jones’ body back home on Sunday and the flag at the Swoyersville borough building was lowered to half-staff, Concert said.
Jones was also a firefighter. He was the deputy chief of Wyoming Hose Co. #1, according to that department’s Facebook page.
“His service was something you would read about in books, or watch in movies,” that post states. “He lived to serve the residents throughout the area, and as time went on, he found he had a bigger calling to protect the community as a police officer. Wyoming, Exeter, Summit Hill and Swoyersville were all very lucky to have him as part of their agencies. He devoted his life to helping people.”
———
©2019 The Citizens' Voice (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.)
Visit The Citizens' Voice (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) at citizensvoice.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
