Man charged with driving impaired, killing father in 2023 crash in West Salem

A man is accused of driving while intoxicated in October 2023 when he veered off state Highway 22 into an embankment in West Salem, killing his father, who was a passenger in the car.

A Polk County grand jury indicted David J. Nelson, 24, in December on charges of second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and driving under the influence of intoxicants.

He and his father, who were not wearing seatbelts, were ejected from the car. David L. Nelson, 55, of Salem, died at the scene. 

The Oregon State Police at the time described the younger Nelson as a Salem resident, though court records listed his current address in Bend.

The charges allege he drove recklessly, with “criminal negligence” and while under the influence of “intoxicating liquor and/or controlled substance,” according to the indictment.

Polk County District Attorney District Attorney Aaron Felton said the 14-month lapse between the crash and the indictment was due to traffic reconstruction work, which included determining who was driving the car. “Those things just take time,” he said.

The Idaho State Police arrested Nelson on Jan. 27 in Kootenai County based on a warrant in the Polk County case. 

Nelson was extradited back to Oregon and booked on Feb. 7 into the Polk County Jail. He pleaded not guilty to the charges on Feb. 10 and remained in jail as of Thursday on $100,000 bail. 

He is next scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 24 for a hearing to consider possible release while awaiting trial and reduced bail.

Police responded to the crash at 12:23 a.m. on Oct. 8, 2023.

Crash investigators determined that the driver of a Ford Mustang was heading east at a high rate of speed and lost control of the car, which left the highway and struck an embankment, the Oregon State Police said at the time.

The driver, who police identified as the younger Nelson, suffered minor injury and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Police said at the time they were considering “speed and potential impairment” as the primary causes of the crash.”

Felton on Thursday declined to provide details about the driver’s toxicology results, describing them as “evidence to be proven at trial.”

At the time of Nelson’s arrest, he was on probation in Deschutes County, where he pleaded guilty in June 2024 to falsifying drug test results.

His previous criminal convictions include fourth-degree assault, reckless driving and domestic violence strangulation.

Contact reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian: [email protected] or 503-929-3053.

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