Monday, March 13, 2023
AUBURN, Ind. – DeKalb County residents and residents of neighboring counties lined the streets of Auburn and Garrett on Saturday to honor fallen Indiana State Police Master Trooper James Bailey.
Bailey, a 16 year ISP veteran, was killed in a vehicle crash on March 3 on Interstate 69 just north of the C.R. 11A i
nterchange. Bailey was assisting other troopers on I-69 with a traffic backup as a result of weather related vehicle crashes near the 326 mile marker south of Auburn on March 3. He became aware of an individual driving at a high rate of speed evading an officer from the Fort Wayne Police Department on I-69 approaching his location. He attempted to de-escalate that vehicle pursuit by deploying stop sticks and was struck by the suspect vehicle, according to police reports.
Officers from across the state and nation turned out to honor Bailey on Saturday, March 11, at the Paul Bateman Gymnasium at Garrett High School, during funeral services. Bailey was a graduate of Garrett High School.
Officers from all surrounding Midwest states, as well as Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin were in attendance.
According to reporters in attendance at the funeral service from KPC Media Group Governor Eric Holcomb, said Bailey was the very definition of “dependable” and “bravery in action” time and time again.
“When danger reared its ugly head, or evil was exposed, he never backed dow
n,” the governor said.
Saturday’s funeral processional stretched for miles as it made its way from Garrett High School to Auburn and then back to Calvary Cemetery in Garrett, where he was laid to rest.
Bailey is survived by his wife, son, daughter, father and several in-laws.
In 2010 Bailey was presented with the ISP’s Life Saving Award, in 2012 he was named Trooper of the Year for District 22 and he was presented the Action Award in 2021.