Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Joseph Adams was shot and killed during a traffic stop of a DUI suspect at approximately 11:00 pm at 2100 North 1200 West.
He was working a special four-hour DUI enforcement assignment when he stopped a suspected drunk driver. Officer Adams was attempting to arrest the man after the man failed several field sobriety tests.
He had handcuffed one of the man's wrists when the subject suddenly pulled out a small-caliber handgun and fired a shot over his shoulder, striking Sergeant Adams. As Sergeant Adams fell to the ground, he was able to draw his weapon and return fire, striking the man twice and critically wounding him. The man was able to return to his vehicle and flee.
After the shooting, a passenger in the suspect's vehicle exited the car and attempted to offer medical assistance to Sergeant Adams as the suspect fled. The person also called 911 to get assistance for Sergeant Adams.
Sergeant Adams was flown to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds shortly after midnight.
The suspect was convicted of Sergeant Adams' murder in 2002 and sentenced to life without parole.
Sergeant Adams was a Utah National Guard veteran and had served with the Lehi Police Department for four years. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and 7-month-old son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-UT-F77EA474- 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.
Sergeant Adams gave the Lehi Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Lehi 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Joseph Dan Adams served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Sergeant Joseph Dan Adams 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 UT, 84 of 138 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.9% of this state's fallen. That is 6.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph Dan Adams's cause is highlighted.
How Joseph Dan Adams Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph Dan Adams is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Joseph Dan Adams was killed by handgun.