State Trooper Apprehends Runaway Juvenile in Nashville

NASHVILLE --- Tennessee State Trooper Dwayne Stanford apprehended a runaway juvenile from Texas on Thursday night in Nashville.

Trooper Stanford, a member of the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s West Bureau Interdiction Plus Team, was on assignment in Nashville when a “be on the lookout” (BOLO) was issued for a female runaway out of Houston. The notification indicated that she was last seen in Hope, Arkansas at approximately 2 p.m. yesterday afternoon and was headed to Hodgenville, Ky.

After calculating the travel time, Trooper Stanford estimated the vehicle would be traveling through Nashville between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. last night. He pulled into the median to conduct stationary observation for an hour and observed the suspected vehicle, a 2011 Nissan Versa, on Interstate 40 eastbound at approximately 10:24 p.m.

Trooper Stanford pulled in behind the vehicle and activated his emergency equipment after the driver exited off the interstate at the 196 and nearly struck the guardrail going around the curve. The 13-year old female driver was wearing a Texas Longhorn hat and matched the description provided on the BOLO.

She was taken into custody and transported to the Metro Juvenile Detention Center.

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s (www.TN.Gov/safety) mission is to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.

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