Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff John Peper was killed in an automobile crash on U.S. 52, near Lebanon, as he and a deputy responded to the scene of another accident.
Their vehicle went out of control on the sleet-covered roadway and flipped over. Sheriff Peper suffered fatal injuries when he was thrown into the back seat.
Sheriff Peper had served with the Boone County Sheriff's Office for only five weeks. He was survived by his wife, who was appointed as sheriff to serve the remainder of her husband's term. She was the first female sheriff of Boone County and the third female to serve as a sheriff in the state of Indiana.
In 2010, U.S. 52, four miles north of Lebanon in Boone County, was dedicated the Sheriff John H. Peper Highway in his honor.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, who was appointed as sheriff to serve the remainder of her husband's term.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IN-B2FF755A- 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.
Sheriff Peper served with the Boone County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Lebanon community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Peper.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff John H. Peper 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 IN, 151 of 503 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Boone County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John H. Peper's cause is highlighted.
How John H. Peper Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. John H. Peper is highlighted in Feb.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Boone County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
