Bakersfield Police Department, California
End of Watch: Friday, June 26, 2015
Age: 26
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Badge Number: 1191
Cause of Death: Vehicle pursuit
Date of Incident: June 26, 2015
Weapon Used: Automobile
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 31 years+
Police Officer David Nelson was killed in a vehicle crash while involved in a vehicle pursuit at approximately 2:40 a.m.
The pursuit started when he attempted to conduct a traffic stop of an unlicensed vehicle. He chased the car for several blocks until his cruiser left the roadway and struck a retaining wall and a utility pole at the intersection of Mt. Vernon Avenue and Panorama Drive, causing the engine compartment to ignite. Responding officers located his vehicle and removed him from the wreckage before the patrol car became engulfed in flames.
He was transported to Kern Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later.
The vehicle he was pursuing continued to flee. The driver was arrested the following day after police received an anonymous tip about the vehicle. The driver was arrested and charged with evading an officer resulting in injury or death, hit and run resulting in injury or death, obstructing arrest, felon in possession of a firearm, and other charges. The driver was sentenced to 31 years to life in May 2018.
Officer Nelson had served with the Bakersfield Police Department for two years. He is survived by his parents and two brothers.
In October 2016, Hosking Bridge was renamed to Bakersfield Police Officer David Nelson Memorial Bridge.