Roll of Honor
Incident
Lieutenant James Kirkendall was killed in an automobile collision involving two trucks on US Route 33 near St. Johns. Lieutenant Kirkendall was traveling west on the rain-slicked road and clipped the left rear of a dump truck while changing lanes. His patrol vehicle spun into the eastbound lane and was struck by another truck. Lieutenant Kirkendall was a WWII veteran who had served with the Ohio State Highway Patrol for 21 years and served as the commander of the Van Wert Post.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-94034627- 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.
Lieutenant Kirkendall gave the Ohio State Highway Patrol 21 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Ohio, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
James A. Kirkendall served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Lieutenant James A. Kirkendall 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 OH, 318 of 991 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Ohio State Highway Patrol, 33 of 42 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 78.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James A. Kirkendall's cause is highlighted.
How James A. Kirkendall Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James A. Kirkendall is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
41 officers from Ohio State Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
