PLEASANT VIEW, Tenn. (WTVF) — A suspect is in custody following a pursuit and crash near Interstate 24 in Cheatham County.
The incident happened Wednesday evening on Highway 49, not far from the I-24 on-ramp, in Pleasant View.
Wednesday night, the Cheatham County Sheriffs Office identified the suspect as Robert Carl Allen, Jr.
Cheatham County deputies say shortly before 11 a.m. they were dispatched to an address on Bandy Road to check on Allen sleeping in a car.
Deputies say Allen had pre-existing warrants that had been confirmed from Ashland City Police Department.
Deputies say when they arrived, they walked up to the vehicle and noticed that Allen had what appeared to be an AR-15 in the front seat.
After waiting for backup, deputies say they tried to wake Allen up, when he started his car and drove out of the driveway through the yard towards Sgt. Matthew Massingill of the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office.
The deputies chased Allen, with speeds higher than 85 miles per hour at times on Valley View Road. Deputies say they ended the pursuit due to the speeds involved and the risk to the public.
Later, Deputies say Metro Police told them Allen had crashed at the intersection of Gray’s Point Road and Little Marrowbone Road.
Deputies say Metro Nashville notified them around 3 p.m. that they spotted Allen near Whites Creek Pike and that shortly after seeing him, he had taken off towards I-24.
Deputies say the Metro Police helicopter spotted Allen driving very erratically and passing vehicles on the shoulder. Eventually in Robertson County, deputies tried to deploy spike strips on Ross Road, but instead of hitting it, Allen swerved towards Deputy Eric Dube of the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies say the pursuit continued and Allen was able to get back to Maxey Road and headed back towards Interstate 24 headed east bound.
Deputies say in an effort to avoid another set of spike strips, the suspect ran off the roadway and crashed his car near I-24 and State Highway 49.
Deputies say the vehicle then caught fire and in doing so also caused the field to burn as well.
Deputies say Allen fled on foot into the woods parallel to the interstate and was able to evade arrest for a little over an hour before he was located and taken into custody without further incident.
Deputies say Allen is currently charged with driving on a suspended license, reckless endangerment, evading arrest and assault against a first responder, with more charges awaiting him in Robertson County.
