Roll of Honor
Incident
Lieutenant James Sunderland was killed in a three-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 90, about five miles east of Laughlin Air Force Base.
Lieutenant Sunderland, the passenger of the patrol vehicle, which was being driven by his son, also a deputy with the Val Verde Sheriff's Office, was en route to San Antonio to pick up two prisoners.
Their patrol car was traveling east on U.S. Highway 90 about four miles east of Laughlin Air Force Base's main gate at about 2 p.m. when a construction company truck clipped the rear passenger side of the patrol car. The impact caused it to spin into oncoming traffic, where it was struck broadside by a sports utility vehicle traveling west on U.S. Highway 90.
The driver of the sports utility vehicle and Lieutenant Sunderland's son were transported to the Val Verde Regional Medical Center. Lieutenant Sunderland was pronounced dead at the scene.
Lieutenant Sunderland had served with the Val Verde County Sheriff's Office for 18 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, two sons, two daughters, parents, two brothers, and a sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-593F22F7- 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Lieutenant Sunderland gave the Val Verde County Sheriff's Office 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Del Rio community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Lieutenant Sunderland.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Lieutenant James Lee Sunderland, Sr. 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 TX, 653 of 2,421 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 27% of this state's fallen. That is 4 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Val Verde County Sheriff's Office, 3 of 5 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Lee Sunderland, Sr.'s cause is highlighted.
How James Lee Sunderland, Sr. Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James Lee Sunderland, Sr. is highlighted in Jun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
4 officers from Val Verde County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
