Roll of Honor
Incident
Master Trooper James Montgomery died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.
Master Trooper Montgomery had served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol for 15 years and was assigned to Troop C District IV.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Master Trooper James Brent Montgomery died on March 15, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 50.
He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 2 at North Carolina Highway Patrol.
Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.
Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, daughter, two sons, parents, and two brothers.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-051BD36F- 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
The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Master Trooper Montgomery gave the North Carolina Highway Patrol 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of North Carolina. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Master Trooper Montgomery.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Master Trooper James Brent Montgomery is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NC, 37 of 664 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 5.6% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At North Carolina Highway Patrol, 2 of 69 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 2.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Brent Montgomery's cause is highlighted.
How James Brent Montgomery Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. James Brent Montgomery is highlighted in Mar.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
68 officers from North Carolina Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
