John Joseph Kavajecz
Agency patch
Jailer

John Joseph Kavajecz

Accident
End of Watch December 12, 1968
Age 68
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
The Vigil Panel 104 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Jailer John Kavajecz was killed in an automobile crash while riding in a patrol car with the sheriff. Another driver of a vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign and broadsided the patrol car at the intersection of Highway 63 and Highway 112, south of Ashland.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, four sons, and four daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-WI-2E7ABC14
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.
Jailer Kavajecz gave the Bayfield County Sheriff's Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Washburn community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Jailer Kavajecz.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Washburn, Bayfield County, WI
Platform Identity bcso.bayfield.wi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 12, 1968
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 68
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Jailer John Joseph Kavajecz 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 WI, 124 of 317 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.1% of this state's fallen. That is 39.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Bayfield County Sheriff's Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Bayfield County Sheriff's Department
1
of 2 officers
50% Accident
WI — Statewide
124
of 317 officers
39.1% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Joseph Kavajecz's cause is highlighted.

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

How John Joseph Kavajecz Compares

Age at Death
68
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
2
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. John Joseph Kavajecz is highlighted in Dec.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
708
May
848
Jun
797
Jul
899
Aug
938
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Bayfield County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.