Man Arrested After Fleeing Vehicle Stop; Drugs and Stolen Gun Recovered

Vehicle Crimes detectives Thursday night were in the area of Bell Road and I-24 when they saw the driver of a Dodge Charger, Luis Hernandez, 26, traveling 20 mph over the speed limit. When they attempted to stop the car in the 700 block of Bell Road, Hernandez refused to pull over.

A police helicopter relayed information to ground units below as Hernandez drove on I-24 West in excess of 110 mph with no lights on in heavy traffic. Hernandez got off the Interstate and entered a Hermitage neighborhood where officers successfully deployed spike strips. Hernandez drove to a nearby Hickory Highlands Drive apartment complex where he stopped and fled on foot. The police helicopter crew advised that Hernandez threw a backpack while running from officers. He was taken into custody a short time later.

In addition to the backpack found in Hernandez' flight path, a second backpack was recovered from the Dodge Charger. Both backpacks contained narcotics and paraphernalia including 337.2 grams of meth, 662.8 grams of marijuana, THC products, three digital scales, and plastic baggies. A Glock .380 handgun, reported stolen during a motor vehicle burglary in Williamson County, was also recovered from the car.

Hernandez, who was free on $27,000 bond from a February 2024 arrest for felony marijuana possession, evading arrest, and driving without a license, had five outstanding warrants for failure to appear on those charges. He is now charged with five counts of failure to appear, felony drug possession, reckless endangerment (motor vehicle), theft of a firearm, evading arrest, gun possession during the commission of a felony, and driving without a license. He is being held on $202,000 bond.