Springfield, Illinois – A Springfield woman was arrested for violating an order of protection by throwing a bottle with the top on fire into the yard of someone protected by the order. The bottle was later identified as a homemade Molotov cocktail. This incident occurred after she had already been charged with arson, marking the second time she was suspected in an arson case involving the same person.
Springfield Police Officers Walter and Bard were dispatched to the 2500 block of S 10th St., in reference to a violation of an order of protection.
Prior to officers’ arrival, Dispatch informed officers that the victim has a stalking no-contact order against Alena Nelson, aged 28. The order of protection was issued on August 25, 2022, and expires on August 22, 2024. The order was served to Alena on August 26, 2022. According to officers, Alena had violated the order of protection against her by driving past the residence numerous times.
On the victim’s security footage from her residence, Alena is observed driving a silver Dodge minivan. She circles the block a few times, then she drives the van into the victim’s driveway, striking her car that was sitting in the driveway. Alena backs out of the driveway and continues driving around the block. She returns to the residence and attempts to drive up into the driveway again. This time, the victim is standing outside of her residence with a baseball bat. As Alena drives near the victim, nearly striking her with the van, the victim swings the bat, striking the windows and breaking the glass of the minivan. After Alena gets out of the van and begins to grapple with the victim, officers report that there were “Many blows exchanged between them.”
Witnesses on the scene observed Alena circling the block numerous times, eventually entering the victim’s driveway and colliding with her car. After the victim came outside, Alena attempted to drive into the driveway for a second time. Witnesses on the scene observed the victim striking Alena’s van with the bat. After her vehicle was struck, Alena stepped out of the vehicle, and when she did, witnesses observed her throw a bottle with the top on fire into the yard as she got out of the van. Later, the bottle was identified as a homemade Molotov cocktail.
Officers report that when they arrived on the scene, they observed Alena and the victim grabbing handfuls of each other’s hair. “Both females were out in the street in front of the victim’s residence, Alena had the victim up against the van in the street,” the officers’ report read.
After the two were separated, Alena was arrested on-site for violating the stalking no-contact order and aggravated battery, etc. She was transported to Memorial Healthcare to have her hand and head x-rayed. Once cleared by hospital staff, she was transported to the Sangamon County Jail.
Officers recommended that she be charged with Aggravated Battery in a public place, a class 3 felony, Reckless Conduct using a vehicle, Aggravated Stalking – Bodily Harm, a Class 3 Felony, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon – Carry Tear Gas Bomb Etc, a class A misdemeanor. However, according to official records, she was charged by the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office with violating a no-stalking/contact order, a class A misdemeanor, and reckless conduct, a class A misdemeanor.
Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge Robin Schmidt denied her pre-trial release and ordered that she remain in custody until the conclusion of the case.
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