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Sergeant

John Hugh Kugelman

Illinois State Police — Springfield, IL

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch November 10, 1986

Age 27

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Badge 3065

The Vigil Panel 131 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 66

Incident

Sergeant John Kugelman was killed in a vehicle crash while assisting another agency with a vehicle pursuit at the interchange of I-290 and I-355 in Itasca. Officers from the Hoffman Estates Police Department were attempting to stop a car speeding within their city limits. The driver fled, leading to a chase at speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour. Sergeant John Kugelman monitored the chase on the radio and positioned himself ahead of it. Sergeant Kugelman stepped onto the road and pulled his service revolver in an attempt to deter the speeding car, but the driver made no attempt to swerve or slow down. Sergeant Kugelman was struck and thrown 20 feet into the air. He was flown to Loyola University Medical Center, in Maywood, where he was pronounced dead. The driver was pulled over by a rolling roadblock approximately two miles from where Sergeant Kugelman was struck. Officers then learned the 17-year-old was wanted on a warrant for violating the terms of his temporary release from the Illinois Department of Corrections. He was tried on three counts of murder and one count of reckless homicide. He was subsequently sentenced to 32 years. He was paroled in 2002 after serving less than half of his sentence. Sergeant Kugelman had served with the Illinois State Police for three years and had previously served as a military police officer. He is survived by his wife, parents, sister and nephew. On July 30th, 1987, the District 2 Headquarters in Elgin was rededicated in honor of Sergeant Kugelman. A highway interchange was also named in his honor. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, parents, sister and nephew.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-C48F4980
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 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.
Sergeant Kugelman gave the Illinois State Police 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Illinois, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Illinois State Police

Type State Police

Location Springfield, IL

Platform Identity ilsp.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 10, 1986

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 27

Badge Number 3065

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile

Military Service

John Hugh Kugelman served in the the United States military (1977â1983) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Sergeant John Hugh Kugelman 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Illinois State Police, 17 of 67 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 25.4% of this agency's fallen.

Illinois State Police

of 67 officers

25.4% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious