James Monroe McGaha
Agency patch
Patrolman

James Monroe McGaha

Hueytown Police Department — Hueytown, AL
Felonious Veteran
End of Watch June 24, 1989
Age 40
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
The Vigil Panel 134 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Jim McGaha was struck and killed by a vehicle as he struggled with a drunk pedestrian on the 1500 block of Tin Mill Road in Dolomite. Patrolman McGaha and another officer were called to the area after receiving reports of a man sitting in the middle of the road around 1:45 a.m. Patrolman McGaha was attempting to remove the pedestrian from the roadway when the man began to struggle. A vehicle struck both men, killing them. Patrolman McGaha was a United States Army Vietnam War veteran who had served with the Hueytown Police Department for two years and previously served with the Birmingham Police Department.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-2063E1C0
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman McGaha gave the Hueytown Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Hueytown community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Location Hueytown, AL
Platform Identity hueypd.jefferson.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 24, 1989
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
Age 40
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Automobile
Offender Not available

Military Service

James Monroe McGaha served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Patrolman James Monroe McGaha is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 8.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Hueytown Police Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
AL — Statewide
405
of 643 officers
63% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Monroe McGaha'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 Monroe McGaha Compares

Age at End of Watch
40
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
15
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Not available

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Monroe McGaha is highlighted in Jun.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Monroe McGaha was killed by automobile.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location