Reserve Deputy Sheriff James Richard 'Rick' Hirtzel – Jackson County Sheriff's Department

Reserve Deputy Sheriff

James Richard 'Rick' Hirtzel

Jackson County Sheriff's Department

Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Age: 55

Served: 32 years

Badge #: 36-32

Panel 35W, Line 33 (2022)

Included (2022)

Incident Details

Cause of Death: Duty-related illness
Date/Time of Incident: Saturday, July 31, 2021
Incident to Death Duration: 73 days
Incident Location: 476 East County Road 100 South, Brownstown
Incident County: Jackson
Incident Township: Brownstown
Weapon Used: None
Suspect Disposition: None
Burial Place: Riverview Cemetery, Seymour

Reserve Deputy Sheriff James Hirtzel died from complications after contracting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during an ongoing global pandemic.

After becoming infected while working during the Jackson County Fair, he was hospitalized before being transferred to Kindred Hospital in Indianapolis, a long-term acute care facility, where he remained until he passed away.

Reserve Deputy Sheriff Hirtzel, from Seymour, was survived by his wife, Julie (née Peacher); son, Dwight; daughter, Chelsea; father, Morris; two brothers, Joel and Karl (Diane); and two sisters, Leeann (Mike) Kelley and Katrina.

Military Service

United States Air Force

Historical Notes

• Reserve Deputy Sheriff Hirtzel is the sixth of eight Indiana line of duty deaths in 2021.
• He is the first line of duty death of the Jackson County Sheriff's Department.
• His line of duty death is the fifth that has originated from Jackson County.

As of January 10, 2026, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused 1,237,779 deaths in the United States and 28,271 deaths in Indiana. From November 2020 through January 2021, the deadliest wave was responsible for 7,140 deaths with the highest occurring in December 2020 when 3,038 died statewide, at the same time two vaccines first became available to the general public. The pandemic has caused 885 known law enforcement officer deaths in the United States.

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Incident Details

• Reserve Deputy Sheriff Hirtzel is the sixth of eight Indiana line of duty deaths in 2021.• He is the first line of duty death of the Jackson County Sheriff's Department.• His line of duty death is the fifth that has originated from Jackson County.

• Reserve Deputy Sheriff Hirtzel is the sixth of eight Indiana line of duty deaths in 2021.
• He is the first line of duty death of the Jackson County Sheriff's Department.
• His line of duty death is the fifth that has originated from Jackson County.