Longtime Pentagon leader in critical condition after car accident

A much-beloved longtime leader of Pentagon operations was in critical condition Monday, suffering from injuries sustained in a car accident nearly two weeks ago.

David "Doc" Cooke, known as the "Mayor of the Pentagon," remained at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, Va. He lost control of his 1998 Ford on the morning of June 6, according to police reports.

"He ran off the right shoulder of the roadway, struck a parked vehicle that was on the right shoulder, then proceeded on and struck a highway sign, overturned end over end twice and came to rest into the left lane of traffic," a Virginia State Police officer confirmed Monday afternoon. The accident happened just a few miles outside of Charlottesville. The 81-year-old Cooke resides in Arlington, Va.

Cooke, director of administration and management at the Pentagon, has spent 50 years at the facility, overseeing the creation of the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Defense Supply Agency, the Defense Investigative Service, and the Defense Mapping Agency. He helped create a Public Service Academy at Anacostia High School in Washington for disadvantaged students and is the recipient of several awards and honors, including the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service, which he received in 1998.

"Doc stands as a consummate professional and role model for reliability, integrity and teamwork," former Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen said when presenting Cooke with the award. "He not only accepts challenges, he genuinely loves not only working with people but managing them. And regardless of how large his role, when something succeeds he is the first one to give praise and give credit to his colleagues."