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Correctional Officer

James Stephen Hopkins, II

St. Louis County Department of Justice Services — St. Louis, MO

Felonious

End of Watch August 20, 1998

Age 33

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

The Vigil Panel 145 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Correctional Officer James Hopkins was killed when the corrections van he was driving was struck by a drunk driver on I-70, near Highway A, in Lake Saint Louis, at 9:00 am.

Officer Hopkins was transporting 12 prisoners when the other vehicle crossed the median and struck the corrections van and another car. The corrections van overturned six times. Officer Hopkins, who was not wearing his seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle and killed. The driver of another car, a 31-year-old woman, was also killed. A second officer and eight prisoners were injured. They were treated at a hospital and released. Four prisoners were admitted to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The 40-year-old drunk driver was convicted of two counts of involuntary manslaughter and 14 counts of second-degree assault and sentenced to 17 years.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-MO-E610627D
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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 Hopkins gave the St. Louis County Department of Justice Services 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Hopkins.

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

Agency

Department St. Louis County Department of Justice Services

Location St. Louis, MO

Platform Identity slcdjsfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 20, 1998

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

Age 33

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile; Alcohol involved

Offender Sentenced to 17 years

Correctional Officer James Stephen Hopkins, II 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 MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 9.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

St. Louis County Department of Justice Services

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

MO — Statewide

516

of 813 officers

63.5% 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 Stephen Hopkins, II'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 Stephen Hopkins, II Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Sentenced to 17 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Stephen Hopkins, II is highlighted in Aug.

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 Stephen Hopkins, II was killed by automobile; alcohol involved.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518