A police officer suffered minor injuries Friday night after being struck by a stolen Chevy Suburban tied to more than 20 vehicle thefts on Trousdale Drive. The driver was eventually detained by officers, who also found a stolen firearm in the vehicle.
According to WKRN News 2, the incident began around 10:27 p.m. Friday in the 4000 block of Trousdale Drive, when the Metro Nashville Police Department responded to reports of a stolen Chevy Suburban driving into Davidson County. The Brentwood Police Department was already attempting to detain the SUV's occupants, and MNPD moved in to help. As officers closed in, the driver took off and struck one of the officers with the vehicle before eventually being detained.
The officer's specific agency was not immediately clear, and WKRN's report notes that authorities had released no further information as of the update. The station's report says the officer is recovering from minor injuries. Officers who searched the vehicle found the driver in possession of a stolen firearm, according to the same account.
Where Trousdale Drive Sits on the County Line
The Crieve Hall Neighborhood Guide describes Trousdale Drive as a popular neighborhood street in South Nashville's Crieve Hall neighborhood. Brentwood police were already attempting to detain the SUV's occupants before Metro officers arrived to assist.
Automated license plate readers are used in La Vergne and other Tennessee jurisdictions, per the Atlas of Surveillance.
Charges the Driver Could Face
Tennessee law distinguishes ordinary assault from aggravated assault against an on-duty law-enforcement officer. Under Tennessee Code § 39-13-116, aggravated assault requires serious bodily injury, death, the use or display of a deadly weapon, or strangulation; under subsection (b), it is a Class C felony with a mandatory $15,000 fine and mandatory minimum 90-day incarceration, according to Justia Law.
Fleeing from officers after being signaled to stop can carry criminal consequences. The consequences can vary depending on the circumstances of the flight.
The stolen firearm recovered from the vehicle adds another layer of exposure. Possessing or receiving a stolen firearm valued under $2,500 is a Class E felony under Tennessee criminal statutes, punishable by one to six years in prison and fines up to $3,000, according to Fendley & Birch. Possessing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony can also trigger mandatory consecutive prison terms under a separate state statute.
The stolen firearm found in Friday's SUV was recovered during the incident. Drivers are urged to lock vehicles and secure firearms.
