Mt. Juliet Police Newsroom

Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – After fleeing a traffic stop, two suspects were ultimately apprehended after officers, deputies, and a K9 worked together to find them. Around 7:00 a.m. this morning, Officer Wentzell conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for speeding along Lebanon Road near Springmont Drive. The vehicle occupants became uncooperative during the stop, and two adult men ran. Officer Wentzell stayed with the driver, 25-year-old Lakwannda Hughes of Hermitage, as other responding officers and Wilson County Sheriff’s deputies searched the Springmont area for the two fleeing suspects.

After the suspects’ descriptions were sent out through a Nixle text message and posted to social media, multiple sightings were reported. Deputies first apprehended 28-year-old Markist Jones of Nashville, who was attempting to hide under a shed.

Cpl. Barth and K9 Majlo arrived on the scene during the search, and Majlo led officers to 22-year-old Devonta Willis of Nashville hiding under a shed. Willis failed to come out from under the shed, and K9 Majlo apprehended him. During the apprehension, a handgun fell from Willis’s person. Willis was transported and released from a local hospital due to Majlo’s bite.

Further investigation revealed that Hughes was driving on a revoked driver’s license. Jones was wanted out of Metro-Nashville on six different warrants related to failure to appear and a felony probation violation. Willis was wanted out of Wilson County on a failure to appear.

All were arrested and booked into the Wilson County Jail. Hughes charged with Driving on Revoked. Jones was charged with Evading Arrest, Resisting Arrest and Criminal Impersonation. Willis was charged with Evading Arrest, Resisting Arrest, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.

The booking photo of Markist Jones was not available when originally posted.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Four officers, investigating a three-car crash involving an impaired driver on Interstate 40, avoided tragedy within moments of a patrol SUV being struck by a distracted driver. An adult male, suspected of impairment and detained in the back seat of the patrol SUV, was injured. Officers arrived on Interstate 40 East near the 228 mile-marker to investigate a three-car crash around 5:00 a.m. this morning. While investigating the three-car crash, an adult male was found to be driving on a revoked driver’s license and suspected of impairment. He was detained and placed in the back seat of a patrol SUV.

Officers continued to investigate the crash. Around 5:50 a.m., a driver failed to see the multiple patrol vehicles and struck one of the patrol SUVs, launching it within feet of officers and another patrol vehicle. Officers immediately began to render aid to the injured suspect and checked on the distracted driver. The suspect sustained serious injuries and was transported away by medics. The distracted driver did not require medical transport. No officers were injured.

“Motorists must always pay attention while driving. There are many distractions to a driver, but eyes must have a focus on the road ahead,” stated Chief James Hambrick. “Our prayers will be with the injured suspect, and we hope he recovers quickly.”

Per department protocol, a third-party law enforcement agency is always called to investigate any crash involving a department police vehicle. The Tennessee Highway Patrol responded to the scene, and Troopers are handling the crash investigation.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Detectives and staff with Mt. Juliet Animal Care and Control executed a search warrant to remove animals living in deplorable conditions. The warrant was completed this afternoon at a home in Greenhill Trailer Park after an investigation revealed that the animals’ welfare could be in danger.

Three dogs and one cat, appearing to be in very poor health, were removed from the home and immediately transported by Animal Care and Control to be evaluated and treated by a veterinarian.

The resident is cooperating with detectives, and the investigation is on-going.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Due to predicted heavy rain on Saturday, October 26, the event was rescheduled to Saturday, November 2. To further strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships, Mt. Juliet Police will be hosting a community appreciation day, community chili cook-off, and open house. The event will be an excellent opportunity for residents to meet and talk with neighbors, friends, businesses, and members of the police department in a fun, friendly setting at police headquarters. The event will take place on Saturday, November 2, 2019, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Mt. Juliet Police Headquarters, located at 1019 Charlie Daniels Parkway. The event date was changed from October 26 to November 2 due to a poor weather forecast and predicted heavy rain.

 

Businesses, families, or a group of friends are encouraged to participate in the chili cook-off, and the public is invited to attend, eat chili, and check out police headquarters and equipment. There will be numerous displays of the Mt. Juliet Police Department’s resources and other law enforcement related equipment and technology.

Representatives for the department will be on-hand to conduct guided tours of police headquarters during the event. Also, a kids fun zone will be out on the department’s front lawn.

Those interested in participating in the Chili Cook-off can visit www.mjpdnews.org/chilicookoff for more details.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Safety will be a top priority for Mt. Juliet Police on Halloween, and additional officers are reporting for duty to patrol neighborhoods and interact with the community. Mt. Juliet’s neighborhoods will fill up with little witches, superheroes, goblins, and teenagers as they all focus on collecting many sweet treats. Parents should be prepared, and mindful of their child’s safety by following simple safety precautions. Officers on patrol will be proactively handing out reflective bracelets to trick-or-treaters to promote their visibility as pedestrians. The highest risk to a child during trick-or-treating is being struck by a vehicle.

Trick-or-treating will be observed in Mt. Juliet on Thursday, October 31, 2019. The Mt. Juliet Police Department recommends trick-or-treating to start at 5:00 p.m. and to stop by 9:00 p.m.

Through the afternoon and night, patrol staff levels and presence in neighborhoods will be increased. However, police need the help of residents to ensure Mt. Juliet’s streets can be as safe as possible. Any unsafe mischief or driving behavior should be reported to the police department immediately so it can be stopped. Also, police will be monitoring parking on city streets. Visitors and residents should be mindful of where they park, so the roadway is not blocked.

Children are twice more likely to be in a fatal pedestrian accident on Halloween than any other day of the year, according to Safe Kids Worldwide. Parents should make sure their child’s costume is visible at night to motorists. There are several reasons why children are more likely to be hurt in pedestrian accidents, which include:

• They often choose to take the shortest route, which may mean darting out between parked cars then take the safer route of crossing at corners.
• They’re poor at evaluating potential traffic threats.
• They’re more likely to disregard their peripheral vision and are less attentive to their street surroundings.
• They tend to believe they’re indestructible and are more likely to take risks.
• They need to be told that some people driving cars will not slow down for them.
• They can’t cross streets as rapidly as adults.
• They may be distracted by other children’s costumes, behaviors, and home decorations.

Also, officers will be out monitoring sex offenders on Halloween. Under Tennessee law, any sex offender on parole or probation may not take part in any Halloween activity involving children. This activity would include leaving a porch light on, answering the door, or distributing candy. Parents may use the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s website at http://www.tbi.tn.gov/.

From everyone at Mt. Juliet Police, we wish you a safe Halloween. Mt. Juliet Police Headquarters, located at 1019 Charlie Daniels Parkway, will also be open for trick-or-treating on Halloween from 5:00 p.m to 9:00 p.m. The department can be contacted at (615) 754-2550 (non-emergency) or 911 (emergency) to report any problems, observations, or safety concerns.

Reflective bracelets are available, now and through Halloween, at police headquarters from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday.

A list of Halloween Health and Safety Tips can be viewed here: http://www.safekids.org/halloween.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Detectives are attempting to identify two men who fraudulently used a credit card that was stolen from a car burglary. The credit card was stolen from the victim in Nashville on September 21, 2019, but the suspects used the stolen card to make purchases at Target and Best Buy in Mt. Juliet later that day. Surveillance video confirmed two men were working together when purchases were made of a MacBook Pro at Best Buy and four sets of Apple Airpods and gift cards at Target.

Suspect One:

Suspect Two:

Both Suspects Together:

Detectives hope someone in the community will recognize the suspects from the surveillance video so they can be apprehended.

Anyone with any information regarding this crime is encouraged 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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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – A man was arrested overnight after following and pointing a handgun at teens who were knocking on residents’ doors as a prank. On Thursday, October 3, 2019 around 9:35 p.m., multiple officers responded to the area of Sydney Terrace near Brisbane Drive to handle an armed person call. They arrived to find numerous individuals standing in the roadway.

Further investigation revealed that a group of teens were knocking loudly on many doors and running away. One of the residents, 43-year-old Jimmy Robinson, Jr., got into his vehicle and began to look for the vehicle the teens were traveling in.

Robinson located the teens, drew a handgun, and ordered two of the five teens out of the vehicle.

Jimmy Robinson, Jr., 43, of Mt. Juliet

Robinson was arrested and booked into the Wilson County Jail, charged with two counts of Aggravated Assault. A juvenile involved was charged with trespassing onto Robinson’s property, and 20-year-old James Davison of Mt. Juliet was cited for Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – A suspect was caught after he attempted to evade an officer who was investigating a theft. On Thursday, October 3, 2019 around 6:30 p.m., officers responded to Kroger, at 401 S. Mt. Juliet Road, to investigate a possible theft. Once the officer arrived on the scene, a male suspect, 31-year-old Mohammad Aldabet of Lebanon, took off running. Officers searched the area, and an alert was sent out via text and social media to notify the public of the active search. With the help of community members, it was determined that Aldabet was inside Steak-n-Shake. He was located and apprehended.

Further investigation revealed a second suspect, 32-year-old Jule Davenport of Nashville, was shoplifting inside Kroger. She was located in the Kroger parking lot and apprehended.

Both were arrested and booked into the Wilson County Jail. Aldabet was charged with Evading Arrest, and Davenport was charged with Shoplifting and booked on an existing warrant for Shoplifting.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Mt. Juliet Police is joining police departments across the nation and having Coffee With a Cop on Wednesday, October 2, 2019 – National Coffee With a Cop Day. Two events will be held across the city:

• 7:00a – 9:00a @ Chick-fil-A, 401 S. Mt. Juliet Road
• 9:00a – 11:00a @ McDonald’s, 11279 Lebanon Road

The public is invited and encouraged to attend. Police Chief James Hambrick, his leadership team, and officers will have coffee in hand and ready to enjoy simple conversation next Wednesday morning. Coffee With a Cop is an opportunity for the public to meet with officers in a relaxed environment and talk about anything — from crime issues to neighborhood programs, public safety management to how to join the force.

The Coffee With a Cop program is a non-traditional way to generate conversation between the police department and community it serves. This event allows the public to interact with police officers, including the Chief of Police, in an informal setting to ask questions or address concerns with local law enforcement. Everyone is encouraged to stop by the National Coffee With a Cop events to say hello and enjoy free coffee and treats.

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