Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Dan Nelson, 34, left his position as deputy prosecutor March 8 because he didn't believe it was right to run for office against his boss.
Nelson is on the Republican ballot along with incumbent Chuck Waggoner and R. Steven Hearn.
"It's not appropriate to run against the boss while in office," Nelson said recently about turning his full-time efforts to the race.
The 1992 Indiana School of Law, Bloomington, graduate has worked in all four county courts since 1997. He was responsible for all Title IV-D child support matters, which involve 3,500 cases, and budgetary matters related to child support.
Child support collections are up to more than $6 million, increasing by $400,000 in 1998 to $1.4 million in 1999.
As deputy prosecutor, Nelson was also responsible for all Title Nine felonies filed in Superior Court III and prosecuted all of the cases in the county in which a defendant was charged with driving while intoxicated and causing death or serious injury.
During the last five years Nelson, who is single, has worked with all four judges. He has tried more than 50 criminal cases in Kosciusko County courts and another 50 in Whitley County, where he served as deputy prosecutor from 1993 to 1996.
"Being prosecuting attorney has been my career aspiration," he said. "I enjoy working for the community and feel good about myself when I put a criminal away or stop a youngster from becoming one.
'There's no higher calling in our profession."
Nelson said he has credibility with law enforcement officers and he's at the stage where he's handled every kind of case, from traffic infraction up to every felony except murder.
Nelson was the state's attorney in the Brandon Robinson trial.
"My strength is in litigation," he said, with a 90 percent conviction rate.
Nelson was the primary liaison with the Kosciusko County Special Operations Task Force involving drug cases, and developed and implemented the county's traffic infraction deferral program.
The 1989 DePauw University graduate was responsible for all criminal cases filed in Whitley County Superior Court, Class C and D felonies and misdemeanors during his tenure under that county's prosecutor, John Whiteleather.
Nelson would like to see more people hired in the child support office, saying four case workers handle more than 700 cases each.
"The average amount is 200 cases per caseworker," he said. "The staff hasn't increased since 1996 and the increase in cases has just exploded."
Nelson serves as the prosecutor's representative for the Governor's Task Force on Drunk Driving and the Columbia City Police Merit Selection Board. He is a member of the Kosciusko County, Whitley County, Indiana State and American Bar associations.
He serves on the CASA board of directors and is a Kiwanis Club of Columbia City member.
