Mt. Juliet Police Newsroom

Suspect Apprehended. Media Release on Apprehension here: http://wp.me/p2PLBh-rD

Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – A statutory rape suspect out of Georgia has been spotted in Mt. Juliet, and police are currently searching for him. Around 11:30 a.m., Mt. Juliet Police received information that Michael Steven Lee, 22, of Georgia, was currently at the McDonald’s, located at 126 N. Mt. Juliet Road. He is wanted for Statutory Rape of a Child Under 16-years-old out of Thomas County, Georgia.

Prior to officers arriving on-scene at McDonald’s to apprehend Lee, he took off running towards the Stonegate mobile home community. Police think Lee is still in the area of Mt. Juliet Road around the Interstate 40 retail areas, and police are currently searching for him. It is believed that Lee is homeless and on the run.

Michael Steven Lee is described as a 22-year-old light-skinned black male that is 5’10” tall and weighs 145 pounds. He is shirtless and wearing khaki pants.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Investigators are hoping to identify suspects caught on camera using someone’s credit card information.  The victim discovered that someone had compromised her credit card information after her card was declined when she attempt to make a purchase. She reported the fraudulent use of credit card to police, and investigators began to look into her case.

On Sunday, May 31, 2015 a purchase of over $300 was made at a Walgreens in Manchester, Tennessee. Video surveillance was obtained, and it showed three different suspects making the purchase with the victim’s credit card information. During the purchase, the clerk asked for identification, and the identification and card holder name matched. It appears that the victim had her credit card information skimmed, and the information was placed on a different card for the fraudulent use.

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

If anyone has a feeling that they possibly know the suspects responsible for this crime, they are 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. – Police are investigating a report of a possible abduction attempt, where a 7-year-old girl was approached by an unknown man as she rode her bicycle at a local apartment complex. Around 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 15, 2015 near the 700 building at Willow Creek Apartments off of Charlie Daniels Parkway, the mother of a 7-year-old girl reported to police that her daughter was asked by a man to get into his vehicle. The incident occurred 15 minutes prior to the mother calling police, who were contacted after the mother attempted to locate the unknown male in the area.

The 7-year-old reported to her mother that she was outside riding her bicycle, near the apartment complex playground, when a man approached her and asked her to get into his vehicle. The 7-year-old stated that she began to walk away, and the unknown man started to follow her. So, she yelled and ran away from the man. The man left the area, and the 7-year-old ran to her mother who was inside their apartment.

The suspect could only be described to police as a middle-aged adult male that was dark-skinned with grey & black hair. He was driving a maroon SUV with other children inside of it.

When this incident was reported, multiple officers flooded the area in an attempt to locate the suspect. Officers also spoke to multiple people inside the apartment complex, but no one could provide any information to help further the investigation. The suspect was not located.

“The Mt. Juliet Police Department places the safety of our community’s children at the highest priority, and alongside our efforts to make the public aware of this suspicious incident, officers will continue to be-on-the-lookout for the suspect,” stated Lieutenant Tyler Chandler. “At this time, there is no way to know what the man’s intentions were. If this man had no-ill intentions, our hope is that he would contact us so we can put the community at ease.”

Parents are encouraged to have a conversation with their children to remind them about the dangers that strangers can pose to them.

If anyone has any information about this incident, they are 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 dump truck flipped over at a residential construction site while unloading its contents. On Friday, August 14, 2015 around 12:10 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Brownstone Street in the Hickory Hills neighborhood in reference to a rollover crash with injuries, involving a dump truck. Upon arrival, officers found a dump truck, on its side, in the front yard of a home.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the dump truck operator had just backed up to a home construction site to unload the contents of the dump bed. In the process of unloading the contents of the bed, the ground below the dump truck shifted, which caused the dump truck to lean and roll onto its side. At the time of the roll, the dump bed was extended. The 55-year-old male dump truck operator was treated for minor injuries by Wilson County EMA medics on the scene, but he was not transported to a hospital. The dump truck was hauling dirt and rock.

Residents are asked to avoid the 400 block of Brownstone St while crews work to remove the wreckage. The wreckage should be removed by 2:30 p.m.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Police are currently on-scene at the Mt. Juliet Little League Park, investigating multiple car break-ins. Currently, at least 7 different vehicles were broke into. Officers responded to the little league baseball & softball fields, located on Lebanon Road, around 7:00 p.m. on Monday, August, 10 after victims’ began to notice windows smashed on their cars.

Preliminary investigation reveals that the suspect(s) are looking into car windows, spotting something of value, breaking the window out, and taking the valuable item. Purses, wallets, bags, and briefcases have all been stolen by the thieves. At this time, there is no suspect description.

It is easy to become complacent; however, residents and visitors should always take action to help prevent becoming a car burglary victim. Police offer the following advice:

• Always lock your car doors, even for quick stops or at home.
• Never leave valuables of any kind inside your vehicle. Hiding valuables may help, but it typically doesn’t work. If you must leave valuables in your car, put them in the trunk.
• Park in well-lit areas
• Stay alert, and call in any suspicious activity to the Mt. Juliet Police non-emergency number at (615) 754-2550.

If anyone knows the suspect(s) responsible for this crime or witnessed suspicious activity at the ball fields, they are 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. – The suspicious letter incident at WNPX-TV is now clear. A preliminary test, conducted by hazmat teams, revealed negative for any hazardous substance.

Investigators continue to investigate why the suspicious letter was sent to the WNPX-TV station, located at 1281 N. Mt. Juliet Road. Shortly after 11:00 a.m. on Monday, August 3 , an adult female employee called police after she opened a letter with a suspicious message and began to feel her hands tingle. There was also a noticeable chemical odor associated with the letter. The letter contained a suspicious and bizarre message, but there was no direct threat to anyone or any entity.

WNPX-TV is a part of ION Television broadcast network, which airs Criminal Minds and similar type shows. The adult female, who opened the letter, was the only person inside the business at the time of the incident. As a precautionary measure, the female and two officers had to undergo a decontamination process. No one required medical treatment.

During the incident, three neighboring businesses were evacuated until the scene was cleared.

Wilson County Emergency Management Agency’s Hazmat team, with the assistance of Lebanon Public Safety, were called to the scene. They worked rapidly and diligently to safely package the letter and its contents.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Investigators and hazmat teams are currently handling a suspicious letter incident at the WNPX-TV station, located at 1281 N. Mt. Juliet Road. Shortly after 11:00 a.m., an adult female employee called police after she opened a letter with a suspicious message and began to feel her hands tingle. There was also a noticeable chemical odor associated with the letter.

WNPX-TV is a part of ION Television broadcast network, which airs Criminal Minds and similar type shows. The adult female, who opened the letter, was the only person inside the business at the time of the incident. In an abundance of caution, three neighboring businesses were evacuated until the scene is cleared.

Currently, Wilson County Emergency Management Agency’s Hazmat team has been called to the scene. They will work to safely package the letter and its contents so it can be sent for testing.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Come Monday morning, school zones in Mt. Juliet will be active as students head back to class. Mt. Juliet Police will also be out in force in their annual Back-to-School School Zone safety initiative. The police department will have extra officers working at designated school zones before and after school for the first few weeks, focusing on poor and unsafe driving behavior.

“The safety of our children is a very important priority in our department. School zones should be the safest roadways in our community,” stated Chief James Hambrick. “Motorists who speed and drive distracted in a school zone, not only place risks on other motorists, but they place risk on our children heading to and from school. Our officers are going to work hard and be on the lookout for those unsafe drivers.”

Digital radar speed signs will also be deployed during this school zone safety awareness effort. Mt. Juliet Police have three digital speed signs that display the speed of cars and visually warn motorists if they are driving above the speed limit.

In addition to the reduced speed limits in school zones, officers will be focusing on school bus stop-arm, texting while driving, seat belt, and child passenger safety laws in the enhanced enforcement effort. The enhanced enforcement will be conducted during the first two weeks of school as drivers and students become familiarized with school zones and new traffic flow. Officers will be deployed during arrival and dismissal times while there is increased school traffic. Random, unannounced school zone enforcement efforts will continue throughout the school year.

Parents are also encouraged to visit their child’s school website to become familiar with the traffic plans for drop-off and pick-up at each school. Elzie Patton Elementary recently changed their traffic plan for the new school year. Wilson County School’s website is: http://www.wcschools.com/.

To ensure our school zones are safe this school year, Mt. Juliet Police offer the following suggestions:

1. Give yourself plenty of time in the morning!  As traffic volumes and congestion on the roadways increase, so does the length of time it takes to travel to your destination.  Giving yourself more time, by leaving earlier, reduces stress, increases your awareness, and improves your driving. Obey the posted speed limit signs and directional signs.  This includes marked curbs.  These signs and curb markings assist in the traffic flow into and out of the schools and assist in the safety of the students who walk and bike to school. One misplaced car can disrupt the traffic flow and the safety of our students.
2. Be patient! Impatience leads to aggressive driving, rude or unwarranted behavior, pedestrian and bicycle collisions, and it creates traffic gridlock.  Remember, everyone has the same goal in mind, to get our children safely to and from school.  Also remember, the habits you exhibit in your driving and demeanor are typically passed on to your children when they start driving.
3. If you are driving your children to school, have them ready to leave the car, with all of their belongings, when you come to a stop at the school. Backups and delays are caused when children have to get their backpacks and other items from the trunk or back seat of a car. Explore other alternatives such as carpool, ride-sharing, walking, or biking to school.
4. Watch and obey the school crossing guards.  Crossing guards are provided to assist with school traffic and the safe crossing of your students across the surrounding streets near each elementary school. Be on the lookout, be prepared to stop, and be prepared to follow their directions so our children can get to and from school safely.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Investigators are hoping someone can identify two shoplifting suspects that stole toothpaste and pain medication from Kroger. On Tuesday, July 14, 2015 around 7:40 p.m., a man and woman entered Kroger in Providence Marketplace to steal items.

The male suspect went over to the bottles of Aleve pain medication and scooped all the bottles into his hand-basket. He then continued to place more pain medication bottles into his pockets. While the male suspect was stealing, the female suspect was doing the same. She went over to the toothpaste aisle and placed a bunch of Poligrip denture adhesive cream into her purse. They both walked out of the store with over $500.00 in stolen merchandise.

The suspects drove away in what is believed to be a silver 2004 Ford F-150 4-door truck. It is believed that the suspects could reside in the Hamilton County, Chattanooga, TN area, and they are possible suspects in other area shopliftings in cities along Middle-Tennessee interstates.

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

If anyone has a feeling that they possibly know the suspects responsible for this crime, they are 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. – Investigators are hoping the public can identify a theft suspect, who stole a purse out of a Jeep while the victim exercised. The theft occurred on Monday, June 22, 2015 around 5:00 p.m. in the parking lot of Planet Fitness, located at 1321 N. Mt. Juliet Road. While the victim was inside on the treadmill, she watched the suspect take her purse from her car. After the suspect was confronted by the victim, the suspect sped away in an older-model Honda Accord that had damage to the lower right door.

The suspect was described as a while female, around 30-40 years of age, with blonde hair and a significant limp as if she was dragging one of her legs. She was captured on surveillance video when using one of the victim’s credit cards at Dollar General.

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

If anyone has a feeling that they possibly know the suspect responsible for this crime, they are 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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