Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer James Bennett and Police Officer George Copeland were struck and killed by a vehicle while directing traffic around a crash scene around 12:52 a.m. Officer Copeland and Officer Bennett were at Interstate 35 south of Nogalitos Street, directing traffic and setting up flares around the disabled vehicles. They were behind their patrol car, with emergency lights flashing, retrieving more flares when a vehicle struck them. They were hit with enough force that the vehicle burst into flames, careened down the embankment, and threw the officers over 100 feet. Other officers at the scene were able to put out the fire. Officer Bennett was transported to Baptist Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. Officer Copeland was transported to the Brooke Army Medical Center, where he succumbed to his wounds that afternoon. Officer Bennett had served with the San Antonio Police Department for over two years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, two daughters, two sons, and parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-75E30112- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Bennett gave the San Antonio Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Antonio community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Bennett.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer James W. Bennett Jr. is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In TX, 657 of 2,422 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 27.1% of this state's fallen. That is 27.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At San Antonio Police Department, 22 of 64 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 34.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James W. Bennett Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How James W. Bennett Jr. Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James W. Bennett Jr. is highlighted in Sep.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
63 officers from San Antonio Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
