Roll of Honor
Incident
Posse Member James Appelgate was shot and killed by a prisoner during an escape attempt. On Sunday, October 23, 1955, two men were arrested on charges of car theft. The suspects were kept in the jail in Grants Pass until Monday when they were returned to the Lane County jail in Eugene by a Deputy Sheriff. At the Eugene jail, one suspect pulled a gun he had kept hidden in his belt and forced the deputy to give up his car keys. The two suspects took off in the Sheriff s Patrol car headed northbound on Oregon 99W to Junction City before turning toward Monroe. About four miles north of Junction City, they pulled over a civilian car carrying a family of five. The suspects locked the family in the patrol car in the prisoner's cage, stole the civilian car, and drove toward Corvallis. The civilian driver managed to get out of the patrol car and call the Corvallis police. City Police Officer B.C. Branson stationed himself beside the highway in south Corvallis and soon spotted the car coming into town at about 80 miles an hour. Officer Branson caught up with the men when their car failed to make a turn from Jefferson Street onto First Street and the car went up over the railroad tracks and crashed into a tree. The suspects jumped from the car but the officer was able to detain one of them. The other suspect took off down the street and was spotted running by Posse Member Appelgate, who was returning home from drills with the Sheriff’s Posse with his 16- year-old daughter and her friend. Posse Member Appelgate flagged down a police officer and told him he had seen the suspect running down the street. The officer got in Posse Member Appelgate' s truck with the girls and they raced to the alley behind Ben's Associated Service Station at Third and Van Buren streets. The officer got out of the truck and went around to the front of the gas station to ask the attendants if they had seen the suspect. When the officer returned to the truck he found the suspect with a gun pointed at Po
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- 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.
Posse Member Appelgate served with the Benton County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Corvallis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Posse Member Appelgate.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Posse Member James R. Appelgate 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 OR, 115 of 197 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.4% of this state's fallen. That is 4.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Benton County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James R. Appelgate's cause is highlighted.
How James R. Appelgate Compares
Offender Outcome
Paroled in 1967
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James R. Appelgate is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James R. Appelgate was killed by gun; unknown type.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Benton County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
