Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Ken Collier was killed in a single-vehicle crash during a pursuit.
Deputy Collier was heading west on Route 52 from Santee when he spotted a wrong-way driver coming at him and reported the incident to his dispatcher. He turned around and was trying to overtake the driver when the squad car struck an abutment and rolled down a hill. A dispatcher riding with the deputy was injured in the accident. Deputy Collier was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.
The driver of the wrong-way vehicle was caught nearby and was charged with vehicular manslaughter and drunken driving. He was sentenced to seven years and eight months in prison.
Deputy Collier had served with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department for nine years. He had previously served with the San Diego County Marshal's Office for three years.
Survivors
He is survived by his fiancee, brother, and sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-DBC2BBF6- 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.
Deputy Sheriff Collier gave the San Diego County Sheriff's Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Diego community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Collier.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Kenneth James Collier 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 San Diego County Sheriff's Department, 3 of 11 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. Kenneth James Collier's cause is highlighted.
How Kenneth James Collier Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to 7.5 years in prison
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Kenneth James Collier is highlighted in Feb.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
10 officers from San Diego County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.
