Driver who died in crash had troubled background

Sgt. Gary Nelson, a 37-year-old father of two and a respected leader on the Seattle police force, has spent most of his career catching thieves. David Roehr, a 23-year-old painter with a drug problem, had spent much of his short life eluding men like Nelson.

Some of Nelson's colleagues think it's ironic, then, that the two men were linked in a tragic encounter on a crowded freeway when Nelson was off duty and headed home.

As a member of an FBI bank-robbery task force, Nelson has "arrested a lot of armed bank robbers and never got hurt," said one of the officer's colleagues, Seattle Police Officer Chris Young. "I think it's ironic he got hurt in a burglary on his way home from work."

Roehr, who was fleeing police in a stolen car, tried to pass a truck on Highway 18, lost control and hit a pickup driven by Nelson coming the other direction. Roehr's car then bounced into the path of a tractor-trailer.

Roehr was flung from the car and killed instantly.

Nelson suffered broken ribs, a collapsed lung, a broken leg and broken fingers.

He was taken to Harborview Medical Center, where he was listed yesterday in serious but stable condition.

Colleagues who called on Nelson throughout yesterday said he was expected to recover.

A 15-year veteran of the force, Nelson began his career as a patrol officer, served on the community police team and became a detective. Eventually, he joined the task force on violent crimes, working with the FBI to apprehend bank robbers.

Nelson has also worked as a field training officer who took rookies out on patrol and taught them the rules of the street.

"One of the things he really stressed was officer safety," said officer David Hayes.

"He taught us not to take chances and not to assume anything. I was with him a month and I think I learned more from him than anyone else," Hayes said.

Ten months ago, Nelson was transferred to the burglary and theft division where he has a reputation for being smart, funny, practical and hard-working.

"He's one of the best sergeants I ever worked for," said Ron Rispoli, a burglary detective. "He's attentive, encouraging and supportive. He's done a lot for us, gotten us new cameras, new recorders and new equipment. He's definitely a great leader and I'd follow him into battle."

Nelson can "always find the levity in a situation," Rispoli said.

While Nelson's family - he has a wife, a 9-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son - waited at the hospital yesterday, Roehr's family was at the funeral home.

Relatives said Roehr was a good kid who was loved. But they said he was also a troubled kid who'd never made much of himself.

According to a cousin who didn't want her name used, Roehr dropped out of Bethel High School in Pierce County, returned a year later and tried to finish but then dropped out again.

Roehr had trouble finding jobs he liked, the cousin said, although he was qualified for painting and drywalling.

He had trouble keeping the jobs he did get. Three years ago he was arrested on a drug charge and sent to a drug-rehab program in Renton.

Last year, he was arrested and pleaded guilty to charges of illegally possessing a firearm and attempting to elude police.

He began serving a six-month sentence on those charges in April and was released June 13.

He was estranged from his parents and barred from seeing his son because he didn't make child-support payments.

"He felt like a failure," said the cousin. She wondered, she said, whether recovering a stolen car was worth the loss of Roehr's life.

During the chase, Roehr was weaving in and out of heavy traffic on State Route 164 and had turned onto Highway 18.

A police-helicopter pilot reported he had the Honda that Roehr was driving in sight and was prepared to track it.

Police said they were just about to call off the patrol cars when the accident happened.

Christine Clarridge's phone message number is 206-464-8983. Her e-mail address is cclarridge@seattletimes.com.