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Mercer Co. Community Continues To Grieve Loss Of Officer, His Son

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Family and friends remembered a police officer and his son Saturday night.

Jeremiah Christner and his 17-year-old son were killed in a car crash earlier this week.
Christner was an officer in the Greenville-West Salem Township Police Department in Mercer County.

Christner was also a father of seven and a 10-year veteran of the police department.

"Always just a smile on his face," said Lewis Milliron of Greenville. "Never had a word bad to say about anybody, always pleasing."

Police say Christner lost control of his vehicle and struck the another car on Greenville Sheakleyville Road Wednesday night.

At the police department, his patrol car serves as a memorial, covered in flowers and messages of love.

"The fondest memory that I have of him would be whenever he came to my graduation party and put me in handcuffs," said Tessa Beichner of Greenville. "And he scared everybody that was there, but we all knew he was patrolling in that area and he was friends with my dad."

Those who know Christner say the loss hurts their community, they won't soon be forgotten.

"He's like family, he's not just a cop, he's family to everybody," said Beichner.

"I know that he and his son are ultimately where we all want to go, because they're both Christians and that's the most important thing," said Becky Milliron of Greenville.

Calling hours for Christner will be Monday and Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Living Word Church in Greenville.

His funeral will be Wednesday at 10 a.m.

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