Roll of Honor
Incident
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.
Survivors
He is survived by his parents and two brothers.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-EC82337A- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Nelson gave the Bakersfield Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Bakersfield community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Nelson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer David Joseph Nelson is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,756 officers honored here.
In CA, 719 of 1,837 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.1% of this state's fallen. That is 39.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Bakersfield Police Department, 7 of 8 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 87.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. David Joseph Nelson's cause is highlighted.
How David Joseph Nelson Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. David Joseph Nelson is highlighted in Jun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
7 officers from Bakersfield Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
