A 40-year-old woman was arrested Monday on suspicion of three felonies in connection to the vandalism of a Tesla dealership in Loveland, police said.
Lucy Nelson was arrested just before midnight Monday on investigation of using explosives or incendiary devices during a felony, criminal mischief and criminal attempt to commit a class three felony, according to a news release from the Loveland Police Department.
Nelson has not been officially charged and is scheduled to appear in court on March 7.
The Tesla dealership was vandalized at least three times in the past month — including on Jan. 29, Feb. 2 and Feb. 7 — with graffiti that police described as “offensive and hateful in nature.” On Feb. 7, someone also tried to set the building on fire.
Police said Nelson arrived at the Tesla dealership with “incendiary devices” and “materials attributed to vandalism” on Monday but was arrested before any damage was done. She is being held on a $100,000 bond.
Information on how investigators linked Nelson to the previous vandalism incidents was not available Wednesday.
Chris Padgett, a spokesman for the Loveland Police Department, said federal charges may also be filed against Nelson. He did not say what those charges would be.
Loveland officials did not elaborate on what graffiti was on the dealership building, but CBS Colorado previously reported it included the spray-painted phrase “Nazi cars.”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, billionaire adviser to President Donald Trump, has entered the spotlight of multiple political controversies, including giving a straight-arm salute resembling the Nazi Sieg Heil at a rally in January after Trump’s inauguration.
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