Roy Lundell Nelson, Jr.
Incident
Police Officer Roy Nelson was killed in an automobile crash on SR-A1A in New Smyrna Beach.
Officer Nelson and his canine partner, Caesar, were responding to a burglary call. They were traveling on State Road A1A just east of the South Causeway when a pick-up truck pulled out from Richmond Drive. When Officer Nelson tried to avoid a collision, his patrol car hit a guardrail and overturned. Officer Nelson and K-9 Caesar both died from their injuries.
The driver of the truck fled the scene. He came forward two weeks later and the state attorney's office declined to charge him.
Officer Nelson had served with the New Smyrna Beach Police Department for seven years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-BF727A10- 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Nelson gave the New Smyrna Beach Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the New Smyrna Beach 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 Roy Lundell Nelson, Jr. is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Roy Lundell Nelson, Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How Roy Lundell Nelson, Jr. Compares
Offender Outcome
Not charged
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Roy Lundell Nelson, Jr. is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Roy Lundell Nelson, Jr. was killed by automobile.