Mt. Juliet Police Newsroom

Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Three area schools were placed on lockdown this afternoon after theft suspects fled Wal-Mart. Around 1:30 p.m. Mt. Juliet Police officers were summoned to the area of Lowes after Wal-Mart loss prevention attempted to stop two theft suspects. Troy Adams, 26, and Leverites Lawson, 23, both of Nashville, ran from Wal-Mart with over $250.00 in stolen merchandise in a shopping cart.

As police arrived on the scene, Adams was quickly apprehended. However, Lawson ran into a wooded area near three schools. Mt. Juliet Christian Academy, West Wilson Middle School, and Stoner Creek Elementary were placed on a soft lockdown while police searched the nearby area for Lawson. The lockdown was established as a safety precaution to ensure all students and staff remained safe. Police searched the area for over an hour, but Lawson was not located. Officers gained information that confirmed Lawson was no longer near the schools. Therefore, the lockdown was lifted around 2:40 p.m.

Lawson has active warrants on file for Theft of Merchandise and Evading Arrest.

Troy Adams was arrested, booked into the Wilson County Jail, and charged with Theft of Merchandise. At the time of his arrest, Adams was also wanted by Metro-Nashville Police for a Failure to Appear charge.

 

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Mt. Juliet Police Department will go live with a new communications system Friday afternoon. The new system will replace older, outdated technology that did not provide adequate coverage for emergency responders within Mt. Juliet’s city limits. Mt. Juliet is the first city in Wilson County to move to a digital, P25 compliant interoperable communications system. Emergency responders in Mt. Juliet will now have the ability to clearly speak to each other with a push of a button, which was a dream that began in October of 2011.

Serious incidents led up to the dream where it was obvious that the older, outdated communications system wasn’t adequate anymore. During one incident, a reserve police officer suffered a heart attack and had to crawl back to his patrol vehicle to call for help because his portable radio could not transmit. Prior to that incident, officers pursued armed robbery suspects slightly into Metro-Nashville and ended up chasing the suspects on foot. Officers did not have the ability to speak to dispatch nor communicate with Metro-Nashville Police during the chase.

In late 2011, after city commissioners approved more than $1,200,000.00 for the new system, Motorola Solutions was tasked with the upgrade. During the planning stages, it was important for Mt. Juliet Police project managers to ensure officers and firefighters would continue to have the ability to speak with other law enforcement and emergency management partners within the area, and the new system has complete interoperability capabilities. To save on cost, a partnership and interlocal agreement was established with Metro-Nashville government and Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Corporation. Mt. Juliet’s radio infrastructure is controlled by Metro-Nashville’s much larger system, and tower space is leased from Middle Tennessee Electric.

“One of our main priorities was to ensure our emergency responders had adequate communications so they could respond and deal with incidents effectively,” stated Police Chief James Hambrick. “It’s exciting to see this project come to fruition, and I am thankful for the support from our city leaders who understand our mission of protecting such a great community.”

Mt. Juliet Police will starting operating on the new system around 4:00 p.m. on Friday, September 27. The new system will come online just in time before Mt. Juliet’s new fire department begins operations on Monday, September 30. A system dedication ceremony will be held in late October.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Mt. Juliet’s Night Out Against Crime is coming up soon. Residents are invited to join the Mt. Juliet Police Department, Fire Department of Mt. Juliet, and Wilson County Sheriff’s Department for the community’s annual night out against crime on Tuesday, October 1. The evening is a great way to connect with neighbors and promote neighborhood and police-community partnerships in the fight for safer city.

“At our Night Out Against Crime, we will be promoting our use of social media,” said Police Chief James Hambrick. “Social media is a great way for us to communicate and have dialogue with our community, and we want to ensure our residents are aware of our social media use.”

Mt. Juliet’s Night Out Against Crime event allows neighbors and law enforcement to come together and become acquainted in a friendly setting. This event takes shape at Mt. Juliet’s Providence MarketPlace where the police department comes out in force to provide a friendly setting with live music, free food, children’s activities, and crime prevention initiatives. The Night Out Against Crime is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness. This is accomplished by generating support and participation in anticrime programs while strengthening neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships.

Mt. Juliet’s National Night Out Against Crime will be held on Tuesday, October 1, 2013 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  in Providence MarketPlace near the Providence 14 theater.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn – A home relocation transport project will significantly impact Mt. Juliet’s main south-to-north thoroughfare this afternoon. The northbound lanes of N. Mt. Juliet Road will be blocked from 12:00 p.m. to approximately 3:00 p.m. on Friday, September 20 while a whole, intact house is transported along the roadway to its new destination. Around Noon, the transport convoy will begin on N. Mt. Juliet Road at N.W. Rutland Rd, and the convoy will travel northbound until it reaches Faulkner Lane.

Motorists should avoid this area during the impacted time frame.

The relocation project should take approximately 3 hours for the transport convoy to move along N. Mt. Juliet Road. Traffic will be held up behind the convoy as it travels northbound to its destination on Faulkner Lane.

Updates on the transport convoy’s location will be sent out via the City of Mt. Juliet’s Nixle text alert system and Mt. Juliet Police Department’s social media on Facebook and Twitter.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – A dead body of a female was discovered in a vehicle parked at the Waffle House this afternoon. Around 5:30 p.m. officers were summoned to Waffle House at 236 South Mt. Juliet Road in reference to a deceased female. Upon arrival, officers and Wilson EMA professionals determined that the female was deceased. Mt. Juliet Police Department’s criminal investigators responded to the scene to process it for evidence, and a medical examiner responded to process the body. The preliminary investigation revealed that this was not a criminal incident, and there is no obvious foul play.

The deceased was positively identified as a Terri DeNeal, 52, of Harrisburg, Illinois. She was wanted by the United States Marshals on a federal indictment issued on September 4, 2013 for mail fraud. The investigation into the mail fraud case was conducted by the Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations for the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The medical examiner has completed the autopsy, and investigators are waiting to receive that report from the medical examiner’s office.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Early this morning, J.M. Market at 590 Nonaville Road was robbed by two armed men wearing masks. Officers were summoned to the convenience store for a panic alarm around 5:20 a.m. Upon arrival, it was discovered that an armed robbery had just occurred. Two men entered the store, one pointed a handgun at the clerks, and another demanded cash from the register. An undisclosed amount of cash and cigarettes were taken by the robbers. After the robbery, the men ran out the front door and fled on foot, scattering packs of cigarettes.

The suspects were described as:

Suspect 1: Male, Unknown Race, 6’ Tall, Medium Build, and was wearing dark clothing and a “ski-style” mask

Suspect 2: Male, Unknown Race, 5’5” Short, Medium Build, and was wearing dark clothing and a “ski-style” mask

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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Last month, on August 10, a great music festival took place at Mt. Juliet’s Charlie Daniels Park to raise funds for 13-year-old Bishop Mikaelin, who is fighting cancer. Reserve Police Officer “Pops” Martin, who was volunteering his time to give a police presence at the event, came across Bishop herself. A online commendation from someone who witnessed their encounter explains the rest:

Well we were able to get the photos of Officer Pops getting his nails painted by Bishop, and they will certainly make you smile. To learn more about Bishop Mikaelin’s continued fight and the Bands for Bishop cause, visit www.bands4bishop.com .

Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Mt. Juliet Police was involved in a low-speed pursuit that began on Interstate 40 in Mt. Juliet this afternoon. Around 4:15 p.m., a Mt. Juliet Police Officer noticed a black Chevrolet Avalanche truck that was missing a registration plate. The officer attempted a traffic stop on Interstate 40 eastbound near the 228 mile-marker when the driver, later identified as Justin Gaines, 29, of Franklin, refused to stop. A vehicle pursuit ensued on Interstate 40 into Lebanon, and Gaines exited the interstate at the Highway 109 interchange. Turning off Highway 109, Gaines continued to evade officers on Leeville Pike.

Gaines finally made the decision to quit evading in the 4200 block of Leeville Pike, where he was taken into custody without incident. Further investigation revealed that Gaines was in possession of drug paraphernalia and driving on a suspended driver’s license. In addition, he was wanted out of Rutherford County for probation violations.

The pursuit lasted approximately 6 minutes and traversed approximately 6 miles, with speeds remaining near the speed limit. There were no other incidents attributed to Gaines’s attempt to evade police. Gaines was arrested and booked into the Wilson County Jail and was charged with the following:

• Evading Arrest
• Driving While License Suspended
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – The Mt. Juliet Police Explorers Post 465 has announced the date for the annual Mt. Juliet Police Explorers Golf Tournament. The tournament is scheduled for Friday, October 25, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. with lunch and registration beginning at 11:30 a.m.

You are invited to join Police Chief James Hambrick and other Police Officers at a fun event that will benefit the youth of Mt. Juliet. The tournament will take place at Windtree Golf Club in Mt. Juliet, and registration is $100.00 per player. Windtree Golf Club is widely regarded as one of Nashville’s finest-conditioned public golf courses. Golfers of all abilities will appreciate this wonderfully playable, well-maintained golf course and tournament.

Since the tournament’s inception in 2001, the event has generated funding for the Mt. Juliet Police Department’s Explorer program, and it has provided financial assistance to the department’s Christmas giving program: Shop With a Cop.

Donations from this event will aid youth related programs, including sending the Explorer Post to competitions within the state to compete in police-related simulated exercises with other explorer posts. In addition, donations aid in purchasing uniforms and equipment for the police explorer youth.

Anyone interested in participating or providing a sponsorship is asked to call Officer James Christensen of the Mt. Juliet Police Department at (615) 773-6253 or email at jchristensen@cityofmtjuliet.org.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – A trio of serial shoplifters were arrested after Mt. Juliet Police responded to a theft in-progress call at Target on Monday afternoon. Target’s loss prevention team recognized the shoplifters as suspects from previous thefts and notified police once they looked familiar. The loss prevention team was helpful in relaying the proper information to Mt. Juliet Police so the three thieves could be apprehended. The first, Terry Dunn, 25, of Baxter, Tenn., was apprehended as he waited outside in the parking lot with the getaway car. Two other thieves were apprehended as they attempted to leave Target. They were identified as Dustin Burgess, 26, and Karla Montgomery, 24, both of Cookeville, Tenn.

Further investigation revealed stolen merchandise in the getaway vehicle valued at over $600.00 that was taken from the Wal-Mart in Hermitage, Tenn. earlier in the day. The getaway car was also prepared for a quick exit with the keys in the ignition and trunk open, waiting for the stolen goods. Officers also located marijuana roaches on Dunn’s person. The recovered stolen property was returned to the proper stores. Mt. Juliet Police detectives believe that the three have been involved in previous thefts at the Target in Mt. Juliet and other stores in the area. The investigation is ongoing and further charges are pending.

The three were arrested, booked into the Wilson County Jail, and charged with the following:

Theft of Property (TCA 39-14-103)

Simple Possession Sch. VI (TCA 39-17-418)

Theft of Property (TCA 39-14-103)

Theft of Property (TCA 39-14-103)

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