MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WKRN) -- A Tuesday night traffic stop in Mt. Juliet led to the arrest of a man who had been wanted out of Rutherford County for 30 years.

According to the Mt. Juliet Police Department, an officer initiated a traffic stop after seeing a vehicle, traveling without headlights, run a stop sign on Lebanon Road near Matterhorn Drive on Tuesday, July 1. The driver reportedly continued to Lebanon Road near Lady Nashville Drive before finally pulling over.

Officials said the 53-year-old Nashville driver not only had an active warrant from 1995 for a drug-related charge out of Rutherford County, but he also had multiple containers of marijuana, cocaine, digital scales, and baggies in his possession.

Law enforcement said the man -- who was driving on a suspended license -- resisted officers, but they took him into custody safely. He was reportedly charged with unlawful possession of a Schedule VI drug for resale, unlawful possession of a Schedule II drug, driving on a suspended license, and resisting arrest.

"MJPD remains committed to pushing back against cross-border criminal activity. With Mt. Juliet’s city limits directly connected to Nashville, our officers regularly patrol near the county line to prevent crime from entering our community," the department stated in a social media post on Wednesday, July 2, adding that 409 wanted people -- 90% of whom were not Mt. Juliet residents -- were caught in the city during the first half of 2025.

Authorities said an uninvolved individual drove by the scene of Tuesday's traffic stop and shouted at officers about their presence. That same person was reportedly present at a February incident where a wanted felon is accused of assaulting an officer during a stop near the county line.

"At that time, the individual approached officers on the scene and questioned MJPD’s authority to be in Hermitage," the department wrote. "To be clear: Mt. Juliet Police officers have full legal authority to initiate and carry out traffic stops when violations originate in our city, regardless of where the stop is completed."

No additional details were released about Tuesday's incident, including the identity of the Nashville man who was arrested.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/man-wanted-since-1995-taken-into-custody-in-mt-juliet/