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Correctional Officer

James C. Hesterberg

Alaska Department of Corrections — Anchorage, AK

Accident

End of Watch November 19, 2002

Age 48

Tour of Duty 19 yrs

The Vigil Panel 150 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Officer James Hesterberg was killed in a traffic collision while he and his partner were transporting seven prisoners to Spring Creek Correctional Center at 12:30 pm during snow and rainy weather.

The vehicle was struck head-on by a tractor-trailer on the slush-covered Seward Highway about 20 miles north of Seward. The impact caused the Ford van to go over a guard rail, and it landed on its roof. Officer Hesterberg, who was driving the van, and four inmates died at the scene. His partner and the three remaining inmates were transported to area hospitals.

Officer Hesterberg had served with the Alaska Department of Corrections for 19 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AK-18E32CED
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.
Correctional Officer Hesterberg gave the Alaska Department of Corrections 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Alaska. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Hesterberg.

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

Agency

Department Alaska Department of Corrections

Location Anchorage, AK

Platform Identity adcorr.anchorage.ak.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 19, 2002

Tour of Duty 19 yrs

Age 48

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Correctional Officer James C. Hesterberg 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 AK, 14 of 50 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 28% of this state's fallen. That is 3 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.

Alaska Department of Corrections

of 1 officers

100% Accident

AK — Statewide

of 50 officers

28% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James C. Hesterberg's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How James C. Hesterberg Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Accident: 38.1 years

Years of Service