A man accused of driving a stolen vehicle in Nolensville ran from officers into a wooded area overnight, triggering a search that stretched into the early morning hours before police called it off. The suspect was last confirmed near Nolen Park Circle before he was seen entering the woods close to Stonebrook Boulevard and Dortch Lane, and as of Wednesday morning he had not been found.
According to WKRN News 2, Nolensville police suspended the active search shortly before 6 a.m. Officers had spotted the man running into the trees near Stonebrook Boulevard and Dortch Lane, and by the time the search was called off, investigators said he may already be outside the area. Williamson Source reported that the active search concluded at about 5:45 a.m. Wednesday, and that the man had fled on foot into the wooded area after abandoning the stolen vehicle he was accused of driving, according to williamsonsource.com.
Investigators described the suspect as a white adult male standing about 5 feet 9 inches tall with a slim build. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a green T-shirt and a light-colored hat, the same outlet's report noted. Police have not released his name.
Investigators Suspect He Got a Ride Out
Rather than continuing to comb the woods indefinitely, investigators now believe the man may have been picked up by someone during the search, according to the same report. That theory would help explain why the trail went cold despite officers converging on the Nolen Park Circle area soon after the vehicle was reported and the driver took off on foot.
Nolensville police have advised residents not to approach or attempt to detain the suspect if spotted, per WKRN News 2, and are instead urging anyone with information to contact the department directly. The investigation remains open, and no update on an arrest has been reported.
Not the First Foot Chase This Year
This is not the first time a Nolensville traffic stop has ended with a suspect running from officers. In August 2025, police were alerted by a Flock License Plate Reader to a vehicle tied to a man wanted for felony theft in Rutherford County and wanted for questioning in a Williamson County theft case, the same source reported. Officers located that vehicle on Kidd Road and tried to make a traffic stop, but the driver fled before spike strips disabled the car near Burkitt Commons. The suspect ran on foot but was caught after a short pursuit, and police said at the time that he would face additional charges connected to the incident.
It is unclear whether Wednesday's case will follow a similar path to an arrest. For now, the search near Nolen Park Circle has been suspended rather than resolved, and police say the investigation into the stolen vehicle and the man who ran from it continues.
