Dawn Bestenlehner

How they died

Pursuit

Around 2:30 a.m., officers responded to a call of a burglary alarm at a cell phone repair store. Officers interrupted the Hookup Cellular burglary in progress. Once Shawn Nelson, 39, noticed the officer outside the store, he jumped in a stolen U-Haul truck and hit the officer's patrol car as he was leaving. Nelson drove north where he hit a tow truck, which was hauling a semi-tractor trailer. Nelson continued northbound, hitting pedestrian Dawn Bestenlehner, who was on the sidewalk. The UHaul came to a stop, and the driver got out and ran, but at least one officer arrested him. Shawn Nelson was booked on suspicion of first-degree murder, hit-and-run resulting in death or injury and other crimes.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Dawn Bestenlehner, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources