A West Nashville man is behind bars after neighbors said he crashed a stolen car, then roamed a Sylvan Park street trying to get into homes and vehicles on Sunday. Witnesses traced the path from the wrecked car to a nearby house and pointed officers to the suspect, who now faces a stack of burglary and theft-related charges and is being held on a $150,000 bond.
According to WSMV, Metro Nashville Police were called to the intersection of Charlotte Pike and 33rd Avenue North after a Ford Fusion slammed into a power line and a concrete wall. The driver had already taken off by the time officers arrived. Inside the crashed car, police reported finding a driver’s license identifying 30-year-old Hayden Gregory. The Fusion had been reported stolen on Feb. 7 after its owner left the keys inside on Highway 70, the outlet reported.
Neighbors Say He Checked Doors Up And Down The Block
Residents told officers they watched a man from the crash scene walk through the neighborhood, trying door handles on houses and checking car doors before police got there. Officers later found him sitting in the backseat of a Range Rover parked inside a garage and took him into custody without incident. Authorities say the suspect also uses the name Jose Abarca.
Charges And Next Steps
He is charged with motor vehicle burglary, two counts of attempted motor vehicle burglary, four counts of aggravated attempted burglary, theft, vandalism, aggravated criminal trespassing, and leaving the scene of a crash, according to WSMV. Officials say he was jailed on a $150,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court; a date was not provided in the report.
Police Reminder
The Metro Nashville Police Department is again pushing its “layered protection” approach: lock doors, remove keys from vehicles, and keep valuables out of sight to cut down on opportunistic auto thefts. For details and a full checklist of precautions, see the Metro Nashville Police Department online.
