Incident
Trooper James Sauter was killed when a semi-trailer truck struck his cruiser on I-294, south of Willow Road, shortly after 11:00 p.m.
He was stopped in the left shoulder of the south-bound lanes when the semi rear-ended his cruiser, causing both vehicles to burst into flames. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
On January 22nd, 2016, the tractor trailer driver was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to several felony commercial vehicle violations in connection to the crash.
Trooper Sauter had served with the Illinois State Police for five years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, parents, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
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- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Trooper Sauter gave the Illinois State Police 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Illinois. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Sauter.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Accident
Illinois State Police has lost 67 officers; 49 of them lost to accidents.
James is one of 354 officers lost to accidents in IL, 26.9% of the 1,318 remembered there.
James is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.
James is one of 10,100 officers lost to accidents worldwide, 29.8% of the 33,917 remembered here.
33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 2013, 1 officer at Illinois State Police was lost to accidents, the 9th heaviest of 40 years on record. The heaviest was 1933, with 3.
In 2013, 1 officer in IL was lost to accidents, the 88th heaviest of 115 years on record. The heaviest was 1927, with 11.
In 2013, 56 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 83rd heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.
In 2013, 64 officers worldwide were lost to accidents, the 85th heaviest of 200 years on record. The heaviest was 1930, with 131.
Who
James was 28. Of the 49 lost to accidents at Illinois State Police whose age is recorded, half were between 32 and 40; the middle age was 35. James had served 4.7 years; the middle length of service was 5 years.
James was 28. Of the 344 lost to accidents in IL whose age is recorded, half were between 32 and 45.3; the middle age was 37. James had served 4.7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
James was 28. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. James had served 4.7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
James was 28. Of the 9,451 lost to accidents worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 45; the middle age was 36. James had served 4.7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
March holds 8.2% of these deaths at Illinois State Police; October holds the most, 16.3%. Thursdays: 22.4%.
March holds 5.6% of these deaths in IL; October holds the most, 11.3%. Thursdays: 17.2%.
March holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Thursdays: 14%.
March holds 7.4% of these deaths worldwide; August holds the most, 9.3%. Thursdays: 14.2%.
How
Accident deaths account for 73.1% of all 67 deaths at Illinois State Police, the most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 26.9% of all 1,318 deaths in IL, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 29.8% of all 33,917 deaths worldwide, the 2nd most common cause.
His people
Illinois State Police has 67 officers remembered here, James among them.
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Albert J. Hasson
Sep 7, 1924
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Lory Lee Price
Jan 18, 1927
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Paul Ellis Clendening Feb 16, 1927
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George E. Wheeler Nov 22, 1927
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Robert L. Fisher
Apr 24, 1929
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Robert Jefferson McDonald Jul 10, 1930
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Frank M. Schwartz
Sep 11, 1930
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Kenneth Lewis Church
Dec 5, 1931
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James Grady Sutton Jun 30, 1932
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Richard Groja
May 28, 1933
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John L. McCabe Aug 12, 1933
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Joseph Merritt Elliott Oct 20, 1933
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Leo James LaVelle
Nov 24, 1934
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Raymond Embree Oct 15, 1936
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Frank J. Tamulis Aug 9, 1937
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Albert Cecil Brokmyer
Nov 19, 1939
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Eugene F. Roberts Feb 18, 1940
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Rocco Vito Gragido
Sep 11, 1940
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Ralph Ross Newman Aug 20, 1941
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Robert Richard Thomas May 15, 1942
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Phillip B. Guinto Aug 5, 1943
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Charles Joseph Deans Aug 8, 1944
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Sam Mangiamele May 25, 1945
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Marvin C. Archer
Jun 18, 1946
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Forrest Ferrell Spencer
Oct 27, 1946
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George Louis Fredrickson
Sep 1, 1947
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Roy Kyle Moody
Feb 28, 1949
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Benjamin R. Seaton
Oct 24, 1949
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Arthur Paul Goetting Feb 4, 1951
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Corwin Lynn McConkey
Mar 8, 1951
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Millard Russell Courtney
Apr 11, 1951
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Glenn David Gagnon
Dec 28, 1952
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Harry Ballard Bradley
Oct 24, 1957
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Leo S. Burakowski Sep 24, 1958
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Clarence Uen Swain Aug 1, 1959
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Michael Theodore Angelos Jul 13, 1960
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Dale August Van Vooren
Dec 29, 1962
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Frank A. Doris
May 27, 1967
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Warren Louis Allen
Sep 21, 1967
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Floyd James Farrar
Dec 17, 1968
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Richard G. Warner
Apr 21, 1969
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Donald R. Blickensderfer Sep 26, 1970
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Frank Robert Dunbar
May 14, 1972
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Layton T. Davis
Mar 18, 1976
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George D. Craggs
Nov 6, 1976
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Michael Keith McCarter
Apr 7, 1979
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Bernard Delano Skeeters
May 20, 1982
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John Hugh Kugelman
Nov 10, 1986
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Virgil Lee Bensyl
Jan 15, 1988
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Gary Robert Degelman
May 5, 1989
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April C. Styburski
Jan 5, 1990
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Chong Soo Lim
Jun 6, 1995
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Anthony Millison
Oct 27, 1997
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Erin Marie Hehl
Oct 30, 1997
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Stanley W. Talbot
Jun 23, 2001
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Rodney Todd Miller
May 12, 2006
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Brian Carl McMillen
Oct 28, 2007
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Kyle William Deatherage
Nov 26, 2012
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James Michael Sauter
Mar 28, 2013
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Ryan Matthew Albin
Jun 28, 2017
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Christopher James Lambert
Jan 12, 2019
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Brooke Elizabeth Jones-Story
Mar 28, 2019
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Gerald Wayne Ellis
Mar 30, 2019
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Nicholas John Hopkins
Aug 23, 2019
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Todd Anthony Hanneken
Mar 25, 2021
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Corey S. Thompsen
Oct 18, 2024
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Clay M. Carns
Dec 23, 2024
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 34-W
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