Roll of Honor
Charles Fletcher Waller
Incident
Forest Warden Charles Waller was struck and killed by a vehicle in Nansemond County while directing traffic on the Suffolk Highway (modern-day Route 58) near Magnolia at about 8:00 pm.
A forest fire in the Great Dismal Swamp had created a heavy fog of smoke in the area, and firefighters had laid hoses across the highway. Forest Warden Waller and another forestry patrolman had placed warning flags along the highway and put wood boards next to the fire hoses so cars could drive over them. A line of cars had formed as the patrolmen directed the vehicles through the area and over the hoses.
An impatient driver accelerated past the stopped cars and struck Forest Warden Waller as he yelled out to the driver to warn him about the hazards. He was transported to a hospital in Portsmouth, where he was pronounced dead.
The driver who struck him was charged with manslaughter.
Forest Warden Waller had served with the Virginia Department of Forestry for 15 months.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, seven children, and 16 grandchildren.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-76C1FA3C- 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
You barely got started.
Forest Warden Waller gave the Virginia Department of Forestry 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Charlottesville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Forest Warden Waller.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Forest Warden Charles Fletcher Waller is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,756 officers honored here.
In VA, 204 of 655 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.1% of this state's fallen. That is 31.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Charles Fletcher Waller's cause is highlighted.
How Charles Fletcher Waller Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Charles Fletcher Waller is highlighted in Jul.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
0 officers from Virginia Department of Forestry are honored on badge.nw.