MT. JULIET, Tenn. — A Nashville man on federal probation was arrested Friday after allegedly leading Mt. Juliet police on a pursuit and throwing a stolen firearm and fentanyl from his vehicle during the chase.
According to the Mt. Juliet Police Department, officers were alerted on the morning of June 19, 2026, when the city’s Guardian Shield license plate reader system detected a vehicle entering Mt. Juliet from Nashville along Lebanon Road.
Police said the vehicle’s license plate had previously been entered into the system after the driver allegedly fled from officers during an incident on June 6. Authorities noted that officers did not pursue the vehicle during that earlier encounter.
After receiving the alert, officers immediately developed a plan to locate and safely stop the vehicle. An officer eventually found the vehicle on South Greenhill Road and maintained surveillance while additional officers strategically positioned spike strips along the anticipated route.
Near Division Street and Brookstone Boulevard, officers attempted a traffic stop after the spike systems were in place. Investigators said the driver refused to stop and fled.
The vehicle was immediately disabled by spike strips, which deflated most of its tires. Officers pursued the vehicle from Division Street to the area of Mt. Juliet Road near Interstate 40, where it eventually struck a guardrail and came to a stop.
During the pursuit, police say the suspect threw a Glock handgun equipped with an extended magazine and a quantity of fentanyl from the vehicle. After the vehicle stopped, officers also recovered a bag of marijuana allegedly discarded by the suspect.
Investigators determined the firearm had been reported stolen in Nashville in November 2025.
The driver, identified only as a 36-year-old Nashville man, was taken into custody without further incident. Police said he is currently on federal probation following a previous conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The suspect faces multiple charges, including two counts of felony evading arrest, reckless driving, reckless endangerment, felon in possession of a firearm, theft of property involving a stolen firearm, two counts of driving on a suspended license, possession of marijuana with intent to resell, and possession of fentanyl with intent to resell.
Police credited the arrest to the department’s license plate reader technology and coordinated response by patrol officers.
Officials said the technology provided advance notice of the vehicle’s presence, allowing officers to develop a strategy, deploy resources safely, and apprehend the suspect without injuries to the public or law enforcement personnel.
The investigation remains ongoing.
