During a specialized initiative aimed at combating car theft and related crimes in Nashville, detectives made an arrest on Monday evening. Kenneth Wilson, aged 59, was apprehended after a pursuit involving a stolen Kia Forte. The incident began in East Nashville’s Shelby Park, where detectives noticed Wilson driving the vehicle. An attempt to block the vehicle led to Wilson ramming two police cars to escape.
The pursuit continued even after Wilson let out his passenger, Jerrica Smith, aged 42, who was later charged with joyriding. The Nashville Metro Police Department (MNPD) Aviation was called in to assist, leading to the deployment of spike strips which flattened most of the vehicle’s tires. Despite this, Wilson continued to drive recklessly, including into oncoming lanes and onto public sidewalks.
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A particularly alarming moment occurred when the Forte maneuvered around a school bus unloading children at North 9th and Mansfield Streets, fortunately without causing any injuries to the students. The chase came to an end on N. Main Street in Goodlettsville, where Wilson was taken into custody without further incident. At the time of his arrest, Wilson was found to be driving on a revoked license. Additionally, cocaine was recovered from the vehicle.
Wilson now faces 11 charges, including vehicle theft, evading arrest, assault of an officer, three counts of reckless driving, and two counts of vandalism of government property. He is currently held in jail with an $80,500 bond. This arrest underscores the ongoing efforts by Nashville police to address car theft and ensure public safety through specialized initiatives.
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