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Chandler cop charged in killing of mom
FROM STAFF REPORTS

Chandler police officer Dan Lovelace was charged today with second-degree murder and endangerment in the shooting death of Ahwatukee Foothills resident Dawn Rae Nelson.

Maricopa County Attorney Richard Romley announced the charges at a news conference Thursday.

Lovelace shot Nelson, 35, on Oct. 11 in the drive-through of a Walgreens pharmacy at 1919 N. Dobson Road as she tried to fill a fraudulent prescription. A baby in the back seat at the time was unharmed.

When Lovelace communicated with dispatchers after the shooting, he told them a person tried to run him over and he shot her. Romley disputed that based on the evidence.

“I have concluded that officer Lovelace's statements that he was in fear of his life are not consistent with the eyewitness testimony that we were able to obtain and the forensic evidence,” Romley said.

He said the most telling piece of evidence was the bullet that entered into Nelson's left arm from back to front on an angle.

“That tells us that he could not have been in front of her being in danger of where the car was running,” Romley said. “That was absolutely critical.”

In addition to the Chandler police investigation, criminalist Lucien Hagg was hired to reconstruct the shooting, and Romley's Incident Review Committee looked into it.

Romley said last week he has never charged an officer criminally in a shooting.

“Believe me, the charges were appropriate in this particular instance,” Romley said.

Lovelace's attorney Craig Mehrens said Lovelace maintains his innocence.

“Dan still contends and has always contended this is a justified shooting,” Mehrens said.

They plan to hire their own expert to investigate.

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