Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Charles Ernest succumbed to injuries sustained seven months earlier when he was crushed between two cars while directing traffic at the scene of an accident at the intersection of Pearl Street and Saratoga Street.
His partner was interviewing the drivers involved in the accident as Officer Ernest was directing traffic around the two vehicles. His partner requested that one of the drivers move his vehicle out of the travel lane. As the man attempted to do so, he inadvertently put the car in drive instead of reverse. The car lurched forward and pinned Officer Ernest and a citizen between the two cars. Both men sustained broken hips and other injuries.
Officer Ernest remained at home on sick leave as a result of his injuries for 221 days. A blood clot, which had formed as a result of the injuries, moved to his heart, causing him to go into cardiac arrest. He was transported to a local hospital where he died a short time later.
Officer Ernest was a WWII veteran and had served with the Baltimore Police Department for 18 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MD-BFD7F413- 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.
Police Officer Ernest gave the Baltimore City Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Baltimore 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
Charles R. Ernest served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Police Officer Charles R. Ernest 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 MD, 140 of 377 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 37.1% of this state's fallen. That is 6.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Baltimore Police Dept., 52 of 151 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 34.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Charles R. Ernest's cause is highlighted.
How Charles R. Ernest Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Charles R. Ernest is highlighted in Jan.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
150 officers from Baltimore Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
