On May 25 at 12:45 a.m., officers were dispatched to a house fire at 11002 Greenwood Court in Waldorf. Neighbors called to say the back of a house was on fire and flames were coming through the roof. Another neighbor called and alerted 911 call takers that two people had escaped – a 26-year-old woman and a 3-year-old girl – but that a man was still trapped inside. Officer V. Warker was the first person to arrive on the scene. He confirmed an adult male was still inside. Without the benefit of protective gear, Officer Warker forced open the screen door, and kicked open another door and made entry. The house was filled with heavy smoke and the rear of the home was in flames. Officer Warker could only see inches in front of him. Upon crawling on the floor, Officer Warker noticed a pair of white socks. Soon he realized the socks were on a man who was lying on the floor unconscious. Officer Warker dragged the man to the front door where neighbors Thomas and Chris Yarbrough helped get the man out. CCSO Sgt. Ashley Burroughs – who had just arrived on the scene –helped Officer Warker and Mr. Yarbrough carry the man to the street, away from the house. Cpl. J. Timko, another CCSO officer, arrived and went to neighboring homes to alert them of the fire and to evacuate their homes until the fire could be controlled. Fire/EMS personnel arrived on the scene and provided oxygen and took over first aid for the victim who was suffering from smoke inhalation and burns to his head and throat. The man, 44, of Waldorf, was flown to a hospital with severe injuries. The Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office is conducting an investigation into the cause of the fire. Charles County Sheriff Troy D. Berry stated the actions of Officer Warker were heroic and undoubtedly saved the man’s life.

Officer V. Warker

Officer V. Warker

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Pictured: Sgt. Ashley Burroughs (Left), Officer V. Warker (Center) and Cpl. Jeremy Timko (Right)

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Pictured: Neighbors Thomas (left) and Chris (right) Yarbrough, who assisted in bringing the trapped man to safety.

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Charles County Crime Solvers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of a person responsible for a crime in Charles County. Anyone with information about an unsolved crime or the location of a fugitive may contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS, texting CHARLES + the tip to CRIMES (274637) or submitting tips online at tipsubmit.com. All individuals who provide tips through Crime Solvers will remain anonymous. Learn more at the CCSO’s website.

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service law enforcement agency comprised of more than 600 police, corrections and civilian personnel responsible for protecting more than 150,000 residents. The CCSO was accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in 2001 has been designated as a CALEA Gold Standard of Excellence agency since 2011. Established in 1658, the CCSO is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the United States. For more information, visit www.ccso.us.      

Media Contact
Diane Richardson
301-609-6557
richardsond@ccso.us