A Nashville clothing store clerk is recovering from a serious assault following a brutal robbery-arson incident that occurred last week at the S Fashion store located at 4702 Nolensville Pike. The Nashville Police Department has confirmed the arrest of a suspect in connection with the violence that took place on May 29. The 37-year-old accused, Pardrae Gooch, now faces multiple charges including especially aggravated robbery and aggravated arson.
Responding to the scene at approximately 3:20 p.m., South Precinct officers found the victim with grave injuries indicative of a fierce attack; she had been beaten unconscious after the suspect, while feigning interest in making a purchase, assaulted her in a back hallway of the store, her cell phone wrested from her as she attempted to call for help, she took a hit that knocked her out, and her car was stolen. According to the Nashville Police Department, when she came to, the clerk staggered to the storefront where neighboring employees noticed her plight and summoned the authorities; she was subsequently hospitalized with a fractured cranium.
Simultaneous to the discovery of the beaten clerk, witnesses observed smoke billowing from the rear of the embattled clothing store which drew the vigilance of the Nashville Fire Department. Firefighters subdued the fire, with subsequent investigations by arson investigators determining that the fire originated in the very back where the assault had taken place, as per the Nashville Police Department's reporting of the investigation's findings.
In a twist evidencing a troubled legal history, at the time of Gooch's apprehension he was out on bond for domestic violence charges involving altercations with two women, his most recent detainment coming on May 21 for breaching a protective order; in addition to a prior conviction for aggravated robbery in 2016, he is currently detained with a bond set at $259,000. reports the Nashville Police Department, outlining the succession of his legal disturbances and the gravity of his most current offenses.
