NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The driver of a stolen BMW who sped away from Metro Nashville's Juvenile Crime Task Force turned out to be an accused murderer out on bond.
Byron Berkley, 19, whose murder case from age 16 is pending in adult court, is back in jail on charges of vehicle theft, unlawful gun possession, felony evading arrest, leaving the scene of a crash and driving without a license. His bond on the string of new charges is set at $50,000.
Around 6 p.m. the evening of March 30, Task Force officers spotted a BMW stolen on March 15 from Electric Avenue in East Nashville. They attempted to stop the vehicle on Clarksville Pike near 24th Avenue North, but the car took off toward I-65. Another Task Force officer near the I-65 entrance ramp from Rosa L. Parks Boulevard saw the BMW coming that way and was able to spike the car's tires as it entered the interstate. A short time later officers located the car on I-65 near the Jefferson Street overpass, where police say they saw Berkley run from the car and toss a Ruger pistol into a dumpster near the intersection of Jefferson Street and 10th Avenue North.
Shortly after Berkley was taken into custody, officers were alerted he had allegedly sideswiped a car on Rosa L. Boulevard.
In 2017 Byron Berkley and another 16 year old at the time, Terrence Rainey, were arrested for the murder of Javonte Robinson, 18, and the critical wounding of Roy Hunter, 20, at an apartment comlex on North Dupont Avenue. Robbery was the suspected motive. They are indicted on charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and robbery-carjacking.
