Roll of Honor
Incident
Trooper Pilot Berke Bates and Lieutenant Pilot Jay Cullen were killed when their Bell 407 helicopter crashed into a wooded area in a residential neighborhood on Old Farm Road in Albemarle County, Virginia, at approximately 6:30 pm.
They were in the area to monitor civil unrest that was occurring in Charlottesville, Virginia, during a large protest. The helicopter had just taken off to monitor the Virginia governor's motorcade after he arrived in the area to assess the situation. The helicopter experienced some sort of issue before crashing into the trees and becoming engulfed in flames.
Trooper Bates and Lieutenant Cullen were killed in the crash.
Trooper Bates had served with the Virginia State Police for 13 years and was assigned to the Aviation Unit. He had previously served with the Florida Highway Patrol for six years. He is survived by his wife and his twin son and daughter. He was killed the day before his 41st birthday.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and his twin son and daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-F3EEC4B0- 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Trooper Pilot Bates gave the Virginia State Police 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Virginia. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Pilot Bates.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Trooper Pilot Berke Morgan Matthew Bates 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 VA, 203 of 654 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31% of this state's fallen.
At Virginia State Police, 32 of 52 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 61.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Berke Morgan Matthew Bates's cause is highlighted.
How Berke Morgan Matthew Bates Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Berke Morgan Matthew Bates is highlighted in Aug.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
51 officers from Virginia State Police are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
