In a case of domestic violence intersected with arson, 46-year-old Lachaunti Williams has been arrested following a multifaceted investigation by the U.S. Marshals and Metro Nashville Police Department; Williams is accused of attempting to incinerate the home of his ex-girlfriend, with her and her children inside. According to WSMV, the Metro Nashville Police Department disclosed Williams's arrest on Church Street for numerous violent outstanding warrants and a bail bond set at a hefty $750,000.
Details from FOX17 outline that Williams, who was on the run since 2021, faced charges of aggravated assault and illegal weapon possession by a felon after reportedly firing shots at the same residence while on federal parole, investigations by both the Nashville Fire Department and Metro Police reveal that this September, the home's doormats were deliberately turned to cinders, significantly damaging the doors. Surveillance footage is said to have caught Williams igniting a formidable blaze at the front door.
Adding further to the narrative, WKRN detailed that the incident occurred late in the night of September 7. A woman, alerted by the smell of smoke, remarkably took swift action to extinguish the fire that Williams set at her front door mat—the same birthday night her son extended his good wishes. "If the victim had not been awake at the time of the flames being lit, she might not have been able to put out the flames in the front of the house and call 911, which would have trapped the victim and her son upstairs, which would have resulted in them being killed," officials said in an arrest report cited by WKRN.
The joint efforts of the fire department and police led to Williams facing additional charges of attempted criminal homicide and aggravated arson, along with his other warrants. A K9 unit detected the presence of an accelerant believed to have been used in the crime. Authorities stated that the case highlights how domestic disputes can sometimes escalate into violent incidents, even during personal gatherings such as birthday celebrations.
