Mt. Juliet Police Newsroom

Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – In a continued partnership to ensure routes near schools are safe for children, Police Chief Hambrick, his leadership team, and Mt. Juliet Middle School/West Wilson Middle School leadership all met on Thursday, January 19th to discuss the growing concern of unorganized, unsafe child pedestrian traffic during school dismissal.

The unsafe activity stems from motorists not following the school’s designated traffic plan to pick up a child from school safely. As a result, students are darting across Woodridge Place, Charlie Daniels Parkway, and even Mt. Juliet Road to get to a motorist or parent who is circumventing the pickup plan at a nearby private property parking lot or non-authorized area. Further, many children are not using crosswalks, motorists are stopping in the travel lanes to pick up children quickly, and children are even walking between cars in traffic. With the high frequency of dangerous activity, the school and police department are making efforts to ensure children are safe.

For afternoon pick up, students have the following safe options:

1. A car rider who is picked up in an authorized, safe location that follows the school traffic plan
2. A bus rider who loads the bus in an authorized, safe bus loading zone
3. A walker who walks to their residence within a safe walking distance from the school, using appropriate crosswalks and sidewalks

For afternoon pick up, motorists should not:

1. Impede the flow of traffic by picking up a child while stopped in a travel lane
2. Park on unauthorized private or business property to wait and pick up a child

“I’ve witnessed many scary moments with children darting across traffic, and this activity simply cannot continue,” stated Chief James Hambrick. “School leadership and I all understand that MJ Middle School has more students due to the continued construction of West Wilson Middle, which leads to more traffic. However, we must all work together to keep children safe, and the activity we have witnessed lately is far from safe. I hope everyone understands and will cooperate with the school’s plan to ensure dismissal is orderly and safe.”

On Monday, January 23, the department will begin to have extra police officers on roadways around the school to ensure motorists are driving safely. Officers will be enforcing any unsafe, unlawful driving behavior. The ultimate goal of everyone is to ensure children have safe routes to and from school. To ensure such, motorists and parents are strongly encouraged to follow the school’s traffic plan and further information provided by school leadership.

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A statement from Police Chief James Hambrick:

“Earlier this week, our department noticed the advertisement for a planned large event on Global Vision Bible Church’s property at 2060 Old Lebanon Dirt Road. While the church property is outside of Mt. Juliet’s city limits, the roadway of Old Lebanon Dirt Road is in the city limits, and our department has a duty to ensure Old Lebanon Dirt Road remains clear for safe vehicular traffic and emergency response. Additionally, nearby private property owners are also in Mt. Juliet’s city limits, and we have a duty to assist private property owners with trespassing issues.

Previous large events on this property have created extreme congestion by blocking Old Lebanon Dirt Road and private property issues in the past. Therefore the department began developing a contingency plan earlier this week to respond to community-impacting incidents, such as blocked roadways, unlawful parking, and trespassing. Early this morning, we began receiving reports of Old Lebanon Dirt Road blocked, and the department immediately responded.

Officers continue to be present along Old Lebanon Dirt Road as they work to keep traffic flowing. Additionally, officers continue to assist private property owners with trespassing issues, including vehicle abandonment on their property. Digital message boards were deployed that warn motorists of unlawful parking and tow risk, and traffic cones have been placed alongside the road. We are also coordinating with the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office due to community impacts spreading across jurisdictional boundaries.

Private entities are not paying for the department’s services, and the City is making efforts to document all costs associated with the response to be reimbursed. The event is scheduled throughout the weekend, and our officers will remain present as they work to limit impacts on our residents and ensure Old Lebanon Dirt Road remains open and safe.”

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Old Hickory, Tenn. – Two juvenile teen suspects were quickly apprehended after officers interrupted their active burglary crime spree early this morning. After the department received a report of a burglary alarm around 3:30 a.m. at 4EverECig at 14827 Lebanon Road, an officer spotted the suspects burglarizing another nearby store, Marathon Gas at 15333 Lebanon Road. They ran away, but two suspects were quickly apprehended.

Unfortunately, the third suspect was not apprehended. He is described as a 14 to 17-year-old White male wearing a white or light gray hooded sweatshirt and black pants. A large upside-down smiley face with the text “Always Smiling” is on the back of the sweatshirt.

If anyone has any information about the suspects, they are urged to call the Mt. Juliet Police Department at (615) 754-2550. Information can also be given anonymously by calling (615) 754-TIPS (8477) or via the Mt. Juliet Police Department website at http://www.mjpd.org/.

Further investigation revealed the suspects parked in a nearby vehicle, which officers recovered. In the car was a bb-type handgun, rifle, and a small amount of marijuana. Detectives believe the suspects have targeted stores selling vape pens and e-cigarettes across the Metro-Nashville area, and their association with other crimes is under investigation.

The two apprehended suspects were identified and charged with the following:

Unnamed Juvenile, 15, of Nashville, was charged with:

• Commercial Burglary
• Vandalism
• Evading

Unnamed Juvenile, 16, of Nashville, was charged with:

• Commercial Burglary
• Vandalism
• Evading
• Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

They remain in secure custody.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Three juvenile teen suspects were quickly apprehended after officers interrupted their active car burglary crime spree early this morning. After the department received a report of suspicious activity near hotels along Crossing Circle around 3:45 a.m., an officer spotted the suspects burglarizing a vehicle at Hampton Inn. They ran away, and one suspect was carrying a handgun. Officers quickly apprehended the armed suspect. Once the department notified the community with a text alert, and during a search by officers, a community member spotted the two remaining suspects running near the Mt. Juliet Road interchange. Officers moved their search to that location and located the remaining suspects.

Further investigation revealed the suspects arrived in a black Honda Ridgeline, stolen from Nashville on December 10 where the keys were left inside. The suspects were targeting large parking areas at hotels, busting windows of vehicles, and on the hunt for valuable items and unsecured guns. A total of 19 vehicles were burglarized around the hotels. Still, detectives are looking into the suspects’ involvement in additional burglaries that occurred at the Amazon distribution center on Golden Bear Gateway and in the Walton’s Grove neighborhood.

Officers had initial difficulty gaining the actual age and identity of the suspects due to their lack of cooperation.

All three suspects were eventually identified and charged with the following:

Unnamed Juvenile, 15, of Nashville, was charged with:

• 19 counts of Theft from a Vehicle
• Possession of Burglary Tools
• Unlawful Possession of a Firearm
• Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
• Felony Possession of Marijuana
• Simple Possession of a Legend Drug

Unnamed Juvenile, 15, of Nashville, was charged with:

• 19 counts of Theft from a Vehicle
• Possession of Burglary Tools
• Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
• Felony Possession of Marijuana
• Simple Possession of a Legend Drug

Unnamed Juvenile, 15, of Nashville, was charged with:

• 19 counts of Theft from a Vehicle
• Possession of Burglary Tools
• Possession of a Stolen Vehicle
• Felony Possession of Marijuana
• Simple Possession of a Legend Drug

They remain in secure custody.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – A Mt. Juliet police officer graduated from the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy (TLETA) Basic Police School today. The department is so proud of his achievements and many top honors. Mt. Juliet’s newest police officer Daniel LaNata, along with over 100 other law enforcement officers across the state of Tennessee, took part in a graduation ceremony for Basic Police School 1972 held at MTSU’s Tucker Theater. Officer Daniel LaNata was elected as the Class President and gave the closing speech at today’s ceremony. Not only did he receive the Leadership Award, but he was honored with the Legal Award and Outstanding Officer Award- scoring the highest on all testing.

(L-R) Capt. Tyler Chandler, Chief James Hambrick, Officer Daniel LaNata, and Deputy Chief Michael Mullins

Before becoming a police officer, Officer LaNata grew up in Louisiana and left to serve in the United States Air Force. After military service, he relocated to the Nashville area and joined the department.

“On behalf of the entire Mt. Juliet Police family, we are incredibly proud of Daniel’s achievements. For him to have the extra responsibilities of being Class President and doing so well throughout the academy is quite an accomplishment. He scored the highest on his legal exam and had the highest average score for all assessments throughout the academy, all while leading the group of recruits on a path of success. He will be an amazing police officer to our community and is ready to get to work,” stated Chief James Hambrick.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Three suspects were quickly apprehended after their active burglary was interrupted by officers this morning. One of the large items they were stealing, a go-cart, was a child’s Christmas gift that was paid for and waiting to be pick-up by the parents. Officers were alerted around 5:00 a.m. of an alarm activation at Tractor Supply at 14295 Lebanon Road, and they arrived to find the suspects actively burglarizing the store. Two suspects attempted to run away, but officers gave chase and apprehended both. One suspect, who hid in a nearby wooded area, was tracked by a Wilson County Sheriff K9 within moments of fleeing.

Further investigation revealed the suspects arrived in two vehicles, one being a U-Haul box truck. In the box truck was a freshly stolen go-cart, which was waiting at Tractor Supply to be picked up by a family who bought it for their child. An adult female suspect was staying in a nearby car while the two adult male suspects burglarized the location. They are all suspects in other Tractor Supply burglaries across the mid-state that occurred overnight.

All three suspects were arrested and booked in the Wilson County Jail on the following charges:

Jerome T. Helm, 37 of Nashville, was charged with:

• Evading Arrest
• Aggravated Criminal Trespass
• Theft of Property
• Possession of Burglary Tools
• Vandalism > $10,000

Jerome T. Bass, 60 of Nashville, was charged with:

• Evading Arrest
• Aggravated Criminal Trespass
• Theft of Property
• Possession of Burglary Tools
• Vandalism > $10,000

Lilia A. Shabazz, 32 of Nashville, was charged with:

• • Aggravated Criminal Trespass
  • Theft of Property
  • Possession of Burglary Tools
  • Vandalism > $10,000

If anyone has any information about the suspects, they are urged to call the Mt. Juliet Police Department at (615) 754-2550. Information can also be given anonymously by calling (615) 754-TIPS (8477) or via the Mt. Juliet Police Department website at http://www.mjpd.org/.

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