James Allison Krupp was born in St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida to parents, Allison C. and Thelma Lorea (Gurganious) Krupp. Krupp had two brothers and one sister (Robert Earl, Marvin, and Shirley) and grew up in St. Petersburg. James Krupp’s father, Allison Clemmer Krupp, started with the St. Petersburg police department in 1939 and retired with 20 years of service, so James eventually followed in his father’s footsteps. James Krupp served in the US Navy and then began his career as a police officer in 1954, after turning the age of 21. In June of 1956, in Pinellas County, James Krupp married his wife, Margery Ann Whitehead, and they had two sons and one daughter (James Douglas, Brenda Jean, and Marvin David).
On 15 Apr 1964, Krupp was working in an undercover capacity looking for wanted subjects with active warrants. Officer Bob Megert was driving their unmarked vehicle westbound in the 2500 block of 15 Avenue South and they were working on a different radio channel than other officers in the area. Officer Jack P. Lersch was operating a marked accident van conducting a follow up investigation in Jordan Park. Lersch observed a subject, Freddie Lee McDougal, driving a vehicle and acting suspicious, so he attempted a traffic stop. McDougal refused to stop for Officer Lersch and a pursuit was initiated on MacDougal’s vehicle, which lasted about 15 minutes. During the pursuit, McDougal drove southbound from 8 Avenue South and reached a speed of about 80 miles per hour. McDougal drove through the stop sign at 15 Avenue South and struck the passenger side of Krupp’s unmarked vehicle. Krupp was thrown from the vehicle and possibly killed instantly. Krupp and Megert were transported to Mound Park Hospital, where Krupp was deceased upon arrival and Megert was treated for serious injuries. McDougal was also transported for injuries and was charged with manslaughter for the death of Krupp.
Officer Krupp was survived by his parents; his wife, Margery; his children, James Douglas (6), Brenda Jean (4), and Marvin David (2). The service was held at the Lake Maggiore Baptist Church and a long procession lead to the burial at Memorial Park Cemetery. The newspaper noted that Krupp’s plot was shaded by a sapling oak and that oak was standing 53 years later in 2017. At age 31 and with 10 years of service, Officer James Allison Krupp was the tenth St. Petersburg police officer to be killed in the line of duty.
On 15 Apr 1964, Krupp was working in an undercover capacity looking for wanted subjects with active warrants. Officer Bob Megert was driving their unmarked vehicle westbound in the 2500 block of 15 Avenue South and they were working on a different radio channel than other officers in the area. Officer Jack P. Lersch was operating a marked accident van conducting a follow up investigation in Jordan Park. Lersch observed a subject, Freddie Lee McDougal, driving a vehicle and acting suspicious, so he attempted a traffic stop. McDougal refused to stop for Officer Lersch and a pursuit was initiated on MacDougal’s vehicle, which lasted about 15 minutes. During the pursuit, McDougal drove southbound from 8 Avenue South and reached a speed of about 80 miles per hour. McDougal drove through the stop sign at 15 Avenue South and struck the passenger side of Krupp’s unmarked vehicle. Krupp was thrown from the vehicle and possibly killed instantly. Krupp and Megert were transported to Mound Park Hospital, where Krupp was deceased upon arrival and Megert was treated for serious injuries. McDougal was also transported for injuries and was charged with manslaughter for the death of Krupp.
Officer Krupp was survived by his parents; his wife, Margery; his children, James Douglas (6), Brenda Jean (4), and Marvin David (2). The service was held at the Lake Maggiore Baptist Church and a long procession lead to the burial at Memorial Park Cemetery. The newspaper noted that Krupp’s plot was shaded by a sapling oak and that oak was standing 53 years later in 2017. At age 31 and with 10 years of service, Officer James Allison Krupp was the tenth St. Petersburg police officer to be killed in the line of duty.
James Allison Krupp was born in St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida to parents, Allison C. and Thelma Lorea (Gurganious) Krupp. Krupp had two brothers and one sister (Robert Earl, Marvin, and Shirley) and grew up in St. Petersburg. James Krupp’s father, Allison Clemmer Krupp, started with the St. Petersburg police department in 1939 and retired with 20 years of service, so James eventually followed in his father’s footsteps. James Krupp served in the US Navy and then began his career as a police officer in 1954, after turning the age of 21. In June of 1956, in Pinellas County, James Krupp married his wife, Margery Ann Whitehead, and they had two sons and one daughter (James Douglas, Brenda Jean, and Marvin David).
On 15 Apr 1964, Krupp was working in an undercover capacity looking for wanted subjects with active warrants. Officer Bob Megert was driving their unmarked vehicle westbound in the 2500 block of 15 Avenue South and they were working on a different radio channel than other officers in the area. Officer Jack P. Lersch was operating a marked accident van conducting a follow up investigation in Jordan Park. Lersch observed a subject, Freddie Lee McDougal, driving a vehicle and acting suspicious, so he attempted a traffic stop. McDougal refused to stop for Officer Lersch and a pursuit was initiated on MacDougal’s vehicle, which lasted about 15 minutes. During the pursuit, McDougal drove southbound from 8 Avenue South and reached a speed of about 80 miles per hour. McDougal drove through the stop sign at 15 Avenue South and struck the passenger side of Krupp’s unmarked vehicle. Krupp was thrown from the vehicle and possibly killed instantly. Krupp and Megert were transported to Mound Park Hospital, where Krupp was deceased upon arrival and Megert was treated for serious injuries. McDougal was also transported for injuries and was charged with manslaughter for the death of Krupp.
Officer Krupp was survived by his parents; his wife, Margery; his children, James Douglas (6), Brenda Jean (4), and Marvin David (2). The service was held at the Lake Maggiore Baptist Church and a long procession lead to the burial at Memorial Park Cemetery. The newspaper noted that Krupp’s plot was shaded by a sapling oak and that oak was standing 53 years later in 2017. At age 31 and with 10 years of service, Officer James Allison Krupp was the tenth St. Petersburg police officer to be killed in the line of duty.
On 15 Apr 1964, Krupp was working in an undercover capacity looking for wanted subjects with active warrants. Officer Bob Megert was driving their unmarked vehicle westbound in the 2500 block of 15 Avenue South and they were working on a different radio channel than other officers in the area. Officer Jack P. Lersch was operating a marked accident van conducting a follow up investigation in Jordan Park. Lersch observed a subject, Freddie Lee McDougal, driving a vehicle and acting suspicious, so he attempted a traffic stop. McDougal refused to stop for Officer Lersch and a pursuit was initiated on MacDougal’s vehicle, which lasted about 15 minutes. During the pursuit, McDougal drove southbound from 8 Avenue South and reached a speed of about 80 miles per hour. McDougal drove through the stop sign at 15 Avenue South and struck the passenger side of Krupp’s unmarked vehicle. Krupp was thrown from the vehicle and possibly killed instantly. Krupp and Megert were transported to Mound Park Hospital, where Krupp was deceased upon arrival and Megert was treated for serious injuries. McDougal was also transported for injuries and was charged with manslaughter for the death of Krupp.
Officer Krupp was survived by his parents; his wife, Margery; his children, James Douglas (6), Brenda Jean (4), and Marvin David (2). The service was held at the Lake Maggiore Baptist Church and a long procession lead to the burial at Memorial Park Cemetery. The newspaper noted that Krupp’s plot was shaded by a sapling oak and that oak was standing 53 years later in 2017. At age 31 and with 10 years of service, Officer James Allison Krupp was the tenth St. Petersburg police officer to be killed in the line of duty.
