Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Bart Hart was killed when his patrol car was struck head-on on Firetower Road, near Marshell Road in Wetumpka, at approximately 7:45 pm.
He had just cleared the scene of another accident and was traveling south when the other vehicle crossed the center line at a high rate of speed and struck his patrol car. Despite wearing his seatbelt, Deputy Hart suffered fatal injuries. Three of the four 16-year-old occupants of the other car, including the driver, were killed in the crash. The fourth occupant suffered life-threatening injuries.
Deputy Hart had served with the Elmore County Sheriff's Office for 2-1/2 years after retiring from the Montgomery Fire Department.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-485DED3C- 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 Hart gave the Elmore County Sheriff's Office 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Wetumpka community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Hart.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff James Bart Hart 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 AL, 182 of 643 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 28.3% of this state's fallen. That is 2.7 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Elmore County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 4 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Bart Hart's cause is highlighted.
How James Bart Hart Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James Bart Hart is highlighted in Nov.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Elmore County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
