Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police Dion Nelson was killed in an automobile crash on Highway 17 while responding to another accident call in a period of heavy rain during the aftermath of Hurricane Rita.
During the response, his vehicle hydroplaned and struck the rails of a bridge. He was transported to a hospital in Meridian, Mississippi, where he succumbed to injuries.
Chief Nelson was a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and had served in law enforcement for seven years.
Survivors
He was survived by his fiancee, two sons, two daughters, and mother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-6A911391- 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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Chief of Police Nelson gave the York Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the York community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Dion Rastus Nelson, Sr. served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Chief of Police Dion Rastus Nelson, Sr. 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 AL, 182 of 643 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 28.3% of this state's fallen. That is 2.7 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At York Police Dept., 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Dion Rastus Nelson, Sr.'s cause is highlighted.
How Dion Rastus Nelson, Sr. Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Dion Rastus Nelson, Sr. is highlighted in Sep.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from York Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw.
