Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Wesley Smith was killed in an automobile accident while responding to a robbery in progress call at the Riverview Holiday Inn. He lost control of his patrol on the ramp of the Highway 61 overpass over Highway 17 about 1:40 am. The patrol car struck the abutment. The robbery was later determined to only be a larceny. Patrolman Smith was a U.S. Navy veteran.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-SC-EAED98AD- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Smith gave the Charleston Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Charleston community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Wesley John Smith served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman Wesley John Smith is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In SC, 137 of 438 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.3% of this state's fallen. That is 0.3 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Charleston Police Dept., 10 of 24 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 41.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Wesley John Smith's cause is highlighted.
How Wesley John Smith Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Wesley John Smith is highlighted in Dec.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
23 officers from Charleston Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
