Sergeant John Hugh Kugelman

John Hugh Kugelman

Sergeant John Kugelman was killed in a vehicle crash while assisting another agency with a vehicle pursuit at the interchange of I-290 and I-355 in Itasca.

Officers from the Hoffman Estates Police Department were attempting to stop a car speeding within their city limits. The driver fled, leading to a chase at speeds in excess of 80 miles per hour. Sergeant John Kugelman monitored the chase on the radio and positioned himself ahead of it. Sergeant Kugelman stepped onto the road and pulled his service revolver in an attempt to deter the speeding car, but the driver made no attempt to swerve or slow down. Sergeant Kugelman was struck and thrown 20 feet into the air.

He was flown to Loyola University Medical Center, in Maywood, where he was pronounced dead.

The driver was pulled over by a rolling roadblock approximately two miles from where Sergeant Kugelman was struck. Officers then learned the 17-year-old was wanted on a warrant for violating the terms of his temporary release from the Illinois Department of Corrections. He was tried on three counts of murder and one count of reckless homicide. He was subsequently sentenced to 32 years. He was paroled in 2002 after serving less than half of his sentence.

Sergeant Kugelman had served with the Illinois State Police for three years and had previously served as a military police officer. He is survived by his wife, parents, sister and nephew.

On July 30th, 1987, the District 2 Headquarters in Elgin was rededicated in honor of Sergeant Kugelman. A highway interchange was also named in his honor. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant.