James Stephen Hopkins II
Agency patch
Correctional Officer

James Stephen Hopkins II

Felonious
End of Watch August 20, 1998
Age 33
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
The Vigil Panel 145 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Correctional Officer James Hopkins was killed when the corrections van he was driving was struck by a drunk driver on I-70, near Highway A, in Lake Saint Louis, at 9:00 am.

Officer Hopkins was transporting 12 prisoners when the other vehicle crossed the median and struck the corrections van and another car. The corrections van overturned six times. Officer Hopkins, who was not wearing his seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle and killed. The driver of another car, a 31-year-old woman, was also killed. A second officer and eight prisoners were injured. They were treated at a hospital and released. Four prisoners were admitted to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The 40-year-old drunk driver was convicted of two counts of involuntary manslaughter and 14 counts of second-degree assault and sentenced to 17 years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-E610627D
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.
Correctional Officer Hopkins gave the St. Louis County Department of Justice Services 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Hopkins.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location St. Louis, MO
Platform Identity slcdjsfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 20, 1998
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Automobile

Correctional Officer James Stephen Hopkins II is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 63.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

St. Louis County Department of Justice Services
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
MO — Statewide
516
of 813 officers
63.5% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Stephen Hopkins II's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How James Stephen Hopkins II Compares

Age at Death
33
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
5
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Stephen Hopkins II is highlighted in Aug.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Stephen Hopkins II was killed by automobile.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from St. Louis County Department of Justice Services are honored on badge.nw.