In Loveland, Colorado, a 40-year-old woman named Lucy Grace Nelson has been arrested after a series of attacks against vandalism at a Tesla dealership in the city. The attacks involved hurling Molotov cocktails onto cars and spray-painting anti-Tesla slogans on the building. Police officers arrested Nelson on February 24, 2025, when she reappeared at the dealership with more incendiary devices.
The destruction was first carried out on January 29, 2025, and there were ongoing reports in subsequent weeks. An offender was seen on film hurling Molotov cocktails onto Tesla cars, burning a minimum of four cars whose collective worth has been estimated to be $220,000. The building and the cars belonging to the dealership had also been coated with graffiti featuring the word “Nazi cars.”.
Nelson was in possession of items used routinely to build incendiary devices at the time she was arrested, such as liquor bottles empty of contents, gasoline, and cloth rags. She faces state charges, including using explosives to commit a felony, criminal mischief, and attempted felony. Federal charges are also awaiting consideration based on the severity of the offenses.
The reason for Nelson’s actions is still being probed. Yet, these occurrences are part of a larger surge of protests targeting Tesla and CEO Elon Musk. Protests have taken place across Tesla showrooms in the country, with protesters voicing against Musk’s reported political leanings and corporate ways.
As a reaction to the growing vandalism, Tesla has vowed to file charges against those who have been damaging its properties. The company reiterated its dedication to keeping its Supercharger network and dealership centers of high quality and accessible to customers.
Nelson was first taken into custody on a $100,000 bond but has been released since after posting bail. She is expected to appear before a federal court, where she would be eligible for a mandatory minimum of five years in jail if convicted of the federal offenses. The probe continues, with authorities investigating if there are any other suspects in the vandalism attack.
They depict the difficulties that businesses like Tesla face during situations of increased political and social pressure. As matters progress, authorities as well as businesses are scrambling to contain and reverse acts of destruction and guard their assets as well as the well-being of their staff.
