Mt Juliet police arrest a 19-year-old accused of fleeing a traffic stop and threatening passers-by with a knife

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – According to Mt. Juliet police, a 19-year-old was arrested following a “dangerous incident” that began with an attempted traffic stop on Interstate 40 and escalated into what police are calling a series of incidents Crime.

19-year-old Santos Velasquez was serving time in Nashville for serial burglary and evading arrest. He was also wanted for several “violent crimes” out of Rutherford County, police said. The offenses included aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault and aggravated stalking.

On Tuesday, around 5 p.m., police said Velasquez passed a Mt. Juliet officer at an extremely high rate of speed on I-40 near mile marker 224.

Police said they did not initiate a chase for “safety reasons.” Shortly thereafter, however, police received reports of an accident just a few miles away near mile marker 227.

According to police, Velasquez sideswiped a truck and trailer, causing his car to lose control and crash into the grass median.

After the accident, Velasquez threatened a passerby with a knife as he ran away through a parking lot on Belinda Parkway.

Officers responded quickly and established a containment zone in the area. After Velasquez was spotted, he ran to the Meridian Apartments, where officers arrested him after a chase.

According to police, a 16-year-old female passenger from Gallatin was found uninjured in the crashed vehicle and was cooperating with officers.

Velasquez was booked into the Wilson County Jail on the following charges:

Crime prevention
Evasion of an administrative offense
Reckless endangerment
Reckless driving
Endangerment of children
Contribute to a child’s delinquency
Leaving the scene of the accident
Serious bodily harm
Driving with a revoked license

“The department is grateful that no one was seriously injured in this incident and commends the rapid and coordinated efforts of our officers, emergency communications providers and witnesses to take this dangerous individual into custody,” police said.

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