A man was arrested on a public indecency charge in Nashville after police found him nude outside an apartment complex just as school buses were dropping off children nearby, according to a Davidson County arrest-warrant affidavit. Juan M. Cruz allegedly told officers afterward that he was going to kill them while he was being taken to booking.
Police responded to 1151 Deford Bailey following a report of a man running around wearing only a shirt, according to the affidavit cited by WSMV. Three separate people called dispatch, and callers reported that the man was urinating on a wall and yelling at passing cars. One caller specifically told dispatchers that children were outside near the man at the time.
When officers arrived, they found Cruz outside the apartment complex in front of many residents, per the affidavit. Officers reported seeing school buses dropping children off while Cruz remained nude nearby. Cruz was charged with public indecency.
What Cruz Allegedly Told Police and Hospital Staff
According to the affidavit, Cruz later told both police and medical staff at a hospital that he had been drunk and masturbating during the incident.
The affidavit also describes a tense scene as officers moved to take Cruz into custody. He allegedly spit on one officer's arm while being buckled into a patrol car and continued spitting once inside the vehicle, the document states. The same affidavit says Cruz told officers he was going to kill them while he was being transported to booking.
Only One Charge Filed Despite Additional Allegations
Despite the allegations of spitting on an officer and threatening to kill police, the warrant lists only one charge: public indecency, a Class B misdemeanor. The warrant does not list separate charges tied to the alleged spitting incident or the alleged threat against officers, per the document reviewed by the station.
Tennessee law generally classifies indecent exposure as a Class B misdemeanor, according to legislation on file with the Tennessee General Assembly. That statute includes listed exceptions that can elevate the offense depending on factors such as a victim's age, an offender's prior convictions, or whether the conduct happened on certain school or child-care properties.
No further details on Cruz's age, booking information, or court proceedings were included in the reporting on the arrest. The case stems from the account laid out in a Davidson County affidavit.
