Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer John Libolt and Police Officer Dave Ketchum were killed when their helicopter was involved in a midair collision with the Newport Beach Police Department's helicopter while providing air support to a vehicle pursuit along MacArthur Boulevard. The Costa Mesa's Hughes 500E helicopter's rotor blades sheered off, causing the aircraft to fall from the sky just south of the UC Irvine campus. Newport Beach's helicopter was able to make an emergency landing. A civilian observer flying in the Costa Mesa helicopter was also killed. The driver of the fleeing vehicle was apprehended and charged with murder.
Survivors
Officer Libolt is survived by his daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-4284CA28- 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.
Police Officer Libolt served with the Costa Mesa Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Costa Mesa community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Libolt.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer John William Libolt 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 CA, 719 of 1,837 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.1% of this state's fallen. That is 8.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Costa Mesa Police Department, 2 of 3 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John William Libolt's cause is highlighted.
How John William Libolt Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. John William Libolt is highlighted in Mar.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Costa Mesa Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
