A Friday traffic stop in Mt. Juliet turned into a rolling mess when, according to police, a 36-year-old Nashville man took off in his car, tossed a stolen Glock out the window, and kept going until spike strips shredded most of his tires and he slammed into a guardrail.
Mt. Juliet police say the drama started near Division Street and Brookstone Boulevard, where an officer tried to pull the vehicle over after the town’s license plate reader system flagged the car. Before the driver hit the gas, he allegedly ditched a bag of marijuana, then sped off through town.
Officers deployed spike strip systems along the expected route and chased the car from Division Street to Mt. Juliet Road near Interstate 40, authorities say. By the time most of the tires were flattened and the vehicle hit a guardrail, investigators say the driver had already thrown a Glock handgun from the car. Officers later recovered both the gun and the marijuana, and the man, who is on federal probation, was taken into custody on multiple charges, according to WKRN.
Guardian Shield alerted officers
Police say the whole thing kicked off when Mt. Juliet’s Guardian Shield automated license plate recognition network flagged the vehicle as it entered the city. The system is designed to alert officers when cars tied to crimes or hotlist entries are detected within city limits.
According to the program’s public information page, Guardian Shield is intended to help locate stolen vehicles, wanted individuals, and cars linked to serious crimes, with alerts routed straight to patrol officers for a quick response. As outlined by the City of Mt. Juliet, the ALPR program has been used to help officers identify and intercept hotlist vehicles.
Recovered gun reported stolen from Nashville
Investigators say the Glock handgun recovered after the crash had been reported stolen out of Nashville in November 2025. The driver now faces a long list of charges, including felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of felony evading arrest, reckless endangerment, theft of property tied to the stolen gun, possession of marijuana with intent to resell, two counts of driving on a suspended license, and reckless driving.
Authorities have not publicly released the suspect’s name. Mt. Juliet police thanked responding officers and highlighted the role of the license plate reader system in a social media post about the arrest, according to WKRN.
What the charges could mean
Under Tennessee law, a convicted felon who has a firearm can be charged under TCA 39-17-1307, which makes it a crime for certain people with prior felony convictions to possess or carry a weapon. That statute carries felony-level penalties. On top of that, separate charges such as evading arrest and reckless endangerment can bring additional consequences if prosecutors pursue them.
The full statutory language is available here: Tennessee Code § 39-17-1307.
Police say the arrest remains under investigation, and detectives have indicated that more charges could be filed as evidence is processed. The case will move forward in the Wilson County court system, and Mt. Juliet police are asking anyone with additional information to contact the department.
