Senior Trooper Charles Mark Cosslett

Senior Trooper Charles Mark Cosslett

Virginia State Police, Virginia

End of Watch Wednesday, October 23, 2002

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Charles Mark Cosslett

Trooper Charles Cosslett was killed in a motorcycle crash on I-95, near Backlick Road, south of I-495, in the Springfield area of Fairfax County.

Trooper Cosslett was responding to a sniper-related shooting call at 5:35 p.m. and driving on the right shoulder around rush hour traffic when a tow truck veered onto the shoulder from the right lane. The motorcycle struck the tow truck, killing Trooper Cosslett instantly.

Trooper Cosslett was scheduled to be off the day he was killed but reported to work to help other officers search for a sniper who had killed ten people and wounded another three in the Washington metro area. The shooting call he was responding to turned out to be unfounded. The two suspects in the sniper case were arrested at 3 a.m. the next morning near Frederick, Maryland.

Trooper Cosslett was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Virginia State Police for 16 years. He is survived by his wife, 3-year-old son, and 2-year-old daughter.

Bio

  • Age 40
  • Tour 16 years
  • Badge 968

Incident Details

  • Cause Motorcycle crash

emergency response, motor officer, motorcycle, motorcycle crash

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Simply a hero who gave his all!

Just saw this and remembered seeing Mark over 40 years back!

Colonel Gregory K
A friend

July 12, 2024

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