Incident
Captain Jim Baugh was killed in an automobile collision while responding to a minor traffic collision at 4:30 pm.
Captain Baugh lost control of his patrol car on U.S. 231 and overturned into Big Walnut Creek, trapping him inside for over 15 minutes. He was transported to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, where he succumbed to his injuries five hours later.
Captain Baugh was a United States Air Force Vietnam veteran who had served with the Putnam County Sheriff's Department for 32 years and had previously served as sheriff.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, two sons, daughter-in-law, granddaughter, and four sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IN-227C8606- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Captain Baugh gave the Putnam County Sheriff's Office 32 years.
Thank you for your service to the Greencastle community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
James E. Baugh served in the Air Force (1963â1966) before joining law enforcement.
Captain James E. Baugh is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In IN, 151 of 503 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James E. Baugh's cause is highlighted.
How James E. Baugh Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James E. Baugh is highlighted in Jan.