Roll of Honor
Joseph Michael Kievernagel
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Joseph Kievernagel and Deputy Sheriff Kevin Blount were killed in a helicopter crash while on aerial patrol.
A mayday was broadcast when the aircraft experienced a mechanical failure and onboard fire.
Deputy Kievernagel made an emergency landing on a hilly area near Hazel Avenue's bridge across the American River. When the Eurocopter-EC120 landed, the tail end broke off, causing the fuselage of the helicopter to roll down a hill. A third deputy, who was first on the list to become a co-pilot, was also in the helicopter and received life-threatening injuries.
Deputy Kievernagel had served with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department for 17 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, parents, and seven siblings.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-02FFA0FE- 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.
Deputy Sheriff Kievernagel gave the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Sacramento community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Kievernagel.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Joseph Michael Kievernagel 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 CA, 719 of 1,837 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 Sacramento County Sheriff's Office, 6 of 22 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 27.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph Michael Kievernagel's cause is highlighted.
How Joseph Michael Kievernagel Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph Michael Kievernagel is highlighted in Jul.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
21 officers from Sacramento County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
