James Eric Chapman
Agency patch
Corporal

James Eric Chapman

Johnston Police Department — Johnston, SC
Accident Veteran
End of Watch December 8, 2017
Age 30
Tour of Duty 2 yrs 5 mo
The Vigil Panel 168 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Corporal Eric Chapman was killed in a single vehicle crash on Columbia Road, between Star Road and JET Middle School, at approximately 10:30 pm.

He was responding to backup another officer who was dealing with an armed individual when his vehicle hydroplaned. He was ejected from his vehicle as it overturned multiple times. He was transported to Augusta University Trauma Unit where he was pronounced dead shortly before midnight.

Corporal Chapman was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Johnston Police Department for 2-1/2 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, daughter, three stepchildren, parents, and two sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-7A028AFA
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.
Corporal Chapman gave the Johnston Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Johnston community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Location Johnston, SC
Platform Identity jpd.edgefield.sc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 8, 2017
Tour of Duty 2 yrs 5 mo
Age 30
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

James Eric Chapman served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Corporal James Eric Chapman 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 SC, 137 of 438 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.3% of this state's fallen. That is 0.3 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

Johnston Police Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Accident
SC — Statewide
137
of 438 officers
31.3% Accident
Nationwide
10,088
of 32,508 officers
31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Eric Chapman'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 Eric Chapman Compares

Age at End of Watch
30
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
2.4
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James Eric Chapman is highlighted in Dec.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
707
May
847
Jun
795
Jul
897
Aug
937
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location