Roll of Honor
James Williams Branson Jr.
Incident
Police Officer James Branson died of an injury he received when he was involved in a motor vehicle crash while in pursuit of a stolen vehicle.
He and his partner spotted a vehicle that had been taken a few hours earlier in a carjacking. When the officers attempted to stop the vehicle, a pursuit began. During the pursuit, the officer's police cruiser collided with a sport utility vehicle at the intersection of North Market Street and North Jefferson Avenue.
Officer Branson was treated for a broken ankle and had surgery on the ankle on February 14th, 2003, and was sent home to recover. On March 9th, 2003, he suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism caused by a massive blood clot that traveled from his ankle to his heart and lungs.
Officer Branson had served with the St. Louis Police Department for four years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-DAC2B089- 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 Branson gave the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Branson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer James Williams Branson 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 MO, 237 of 813 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 29.2% of this state's fallen. That is 29.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, 56 of 176 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Williams Branson Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How James Williams Branson Jr. Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James Williams Branson Jr. is highlighted in Mar.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
175 officers from St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
