Cpl. Montana Trombetta, a Pennsylvania State Police trooper based in Uniontown, Fayette County, plans to run 26.2 miles in full police uniform at the Erie Presque Isle Marathon on September 13, hoping to raise $100,000 for the family of a fellow trooper killed during a traffic stop earlier this year. Trombetta did not know Cpl. Timothy O'Connor personally, but he said he wants to be steady for O'Connor's wife, children, and community as they navigate the aftermath of the shooting.
Cpl. Timothy O'Connor Jr., 40, was fatally shot on March 8 at approximately 8:24 p.m. during a traffic stop near the intersection of Route 10 and Michael Road in West Caln Township, Chester County, according to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. State police identified the driver who killed O'Connor as 32-year-old Jesse Nathan Elks of Honey Brook, who died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound shortly after opening fire. As reported by CBS Pittsburgh, O'Connor's wife described him as a steady man people could rely on in difficult and joyful times.
A Career Built on Service
O'Connor enlisted in the state police in September 2010 as part of the 131st cadet class and served 15 years with Troop J in Avondale and Embreeville before his promotion to corporal in July 2022, per the commonwealth's announcement. He became the 105th member of the Pennsylvania State Police to die in the line of duty since the agency was created in 1905, a grim milestone that underscores the dangers troopers face even during routine stops.
Before joining the state police, O'Connor spent years as a volunteer firefighter with the First West Chester Fire Company, starting in February 2003, and he later mentored local youth through county police camp programs, according to the fire company. Following his death, Governor Josh Shapiro ordered all commonwealth flags on state buildings to be flown at half-staff in his honor, the state noted. O'Connor was survived by his wife, Casey, and their young daughter.
Chasing a World Record in Uniform
Trombetta's marathon plan carries its own physical toll. He will wear a full police uniform and campaign hat throughout the race, with running shoes the only concession to athletic gear, and he has said that wearing the uniform will increase the sacrifice of the run. The official Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon run in a police uniform was set on October 10, 2021, by Christopher Huggett in Manchester, United Kingdom, with a time of 3 hours, 6 minutes, and 27 seconds, according to Guinness World Records. Trombetta intends to break that mark.
Guinness rules require participants to wear a full official uniform — including trousers, tunic or jacket, shirt, tie, and official headwear — for the entire 26.2-mile course, though standard running shoes are permitted. Trombetta chose the Erie Presque Isle Marathon in part because its flat, scenic two-loop course around Presque Isle State Park makes it a popular qualifier for the Boston Marathon, and he hopes to secure a qualifying time there in addition to the record attempt.
Raising Funds for O'Connor's Family
Trombetta's fundraising goal of $100,000 is designated to help support O'Connor's immediate family, according to CBS Pittsburgh. Supporters can donate online to the campaign honoring O'Connor, or send a check made out to Troop B Camp Cadet with Cpl. Timothy O'Connor's name in the memo line. The effort ties together two ends of the state — a Chester County tragedy and a Fayette County trooper's uniformed run along the shores of Lake Erie — in an attempt to turn grief into support for a family left behind.
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