Residents Honor Fallen Hometown Police Officer At Procession

HOMETOWN, IL — Residents lined Southwest Highway to pay tribute to Hometown-grown Lt. James Kouski Jr., a police officer who was fatally struck by a car early Saturday morning while investigating another crash early Saturday morning near 90th Street and Pulaski Road.

The 58-year-old fallen police officer grew up in Hometown’s apartment co-op, attending the local public schools. Kouski was a graduate of Oak Lawn Community High School. He was a 34-year veteran of the Hometown Police Department, and at one time served as its acting chief.

Fr. Tom Cabala, pastor of Our Lady at St. Germaine, recalled how Kouski would always check to see that he made it back safely to the rectory at Our Lady of Loretto when summoned to Advocate Christ Medical Center in the middle of the night.

>>> Hometown Cop Fatally Struck By Car Investigating Accident: Police

Former Hometown mayor Don Roberton said he met Kouski when he was first elected a Hometown alderman in the 1980s. Roberton, who owns a limousine company, said he learned of Kouski’s death when he went out on a run Saturday morning and saw yellow police tape at the end of his block.

“I saw [Chief Louis Dominguez’s] post on Facebook saying that a veteran officer was got killed while investigating a car accident,” Roberton said. “I knew Jimmy was the only veteran officer left on the night shift. This 66-year-old man just sat in his van and cried.”

Roberton and Kouski were good friends and would regularly chat when Roberton was the mayor and Kouski the acting police chief. He said Kouski was a “what-you-see-what-you get” kind of guy.

“He was a homeowner’s policeman,” Roberton said. “He was a quiet, friendly person. He was great interacting with people.”

A Hometown fire ambulance carried Kouski’s body for a final pass down Southwest Highway to Harlem Avenue, before turning on 151st Street for its final leg to Sheehy Funeral Home in Orland Park. Dozens of police vehicles from surrounding suburbs escorted the fallen police officer.

Facebook Live video of Lt. James Kouski Jr.'s final pass down Southwest Highway (starts at 13:00)

~ Video by Lorraine Swanson/Patch

Drone footage of Lt. Kouski procession courtesy of Vernon Zumhagen