A routine Sunday night traffic stop in Mt. Juliet turned into a full-blown manhunt after the driver took off, first in his car and then on foot, sending officers into an hours-long search that stretched into early Monday.
According to WSMV, Mt. Juliet officers first tried to pull the vehicle over because of a false temporary plate. Instead of stopping, the driver allegedly hit the gas and sped off, triggering a department alert to residents about an active pursuit around 9:45 p.m., the outlet reports. Officers later deployed spike strips on Lebanon Road to shut down the vehicle portion of the chase.
Mt. Juliet Police posted an MJAlert on X, warning, "MJAlert: There is an active police pursuit in the Mt. Juliet area. Please be mindful, watch for emergency vehicles, and use caution." You can see the department's original alert from Mt. Juliet Police.
MJAlert: There is an active police pursuit in the Mt. Juliet area. Please be mindful, watch for emergency vehicles, and use caution.
— Mt. Juliet Police (@MtJulietPolice) April 13, 2026
Where the pursuit ended
Officers laid spike strips on Lebanon Road, which disabled the car near North Greenhill Road. The driver then bailed out and ran toward the Williamsburg Road area, according to WSMV. Mt. Juliet Police said officers searched Lebanon Road between North Greenhill and Williamsburg while investigators collected evidence from inside the vehicle. The department later suspended the ground search just after 1 a.m., but kept extra patrols rolling through the neighborhood overnight.
Police ask the public to stay alert
In a follow-up post, the department said, "The pursuit suspect ran away from the car towards Williamsburg Rd from Lebanon Rd" and released a brief description: "Hispanic male, white shirt, blue jeans." That message urged anyone who spots someone matching that description to call 911. The advisory is posted on X via Mt. Juliet Police.
For now, detectives are working on the evidence recovered from the vehicle while local patrols remain stepped up in the surrounding area. Residents are urged not to approach anyone who fits the description and to dial 911 immediately if they believe they see the suspect. This story will be updated if authorities release new information.
