Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Russell Ponton was killed in a motorcycle crash while responding to another call involving a police shooting. While en route, an oil truck turned in front of him, causing a collision at the intersection of Minnesota Avenue and Randle Circle, SE. Officer Ponton had served with the Metropolitan Police Department for six years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-DC-E336D126- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Ponton gave the Metropolitan Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Ponton.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer Russell W. Ponton is one of 10,095 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,588 officers honored here.
In DC, 454 of 1,419 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Metropolitan Police Department, 48 of 131 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 36.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Russell W. Ponton's cause is highlighted.
How Russell W. Ponton Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Russell W. Ponton is highlighted in May.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
130 officers from Metropolitan Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
