Man arrested after allegedly following people with machete in South Nashville
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A man accused of following people around with a machete in the parking lot of a South Nashville business is now in custody facing felony charges.
According to court documents, the incident took place just before 8:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 12, near the intersection of Murfreesboro Pike and Thompson Lane.
Girl grabbed by sex offender in downtown Nashville parking garage
The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) said officers were sent to the area after receiving reports that a man — later identified as 43-year-old David Cole — was following people around with a machete in the parking lot of a gas station and throwing merchandise at store employees.
Police said Cole was “sweating profusely” when they arrived on scene and was holding onto a machete. Cole was reportedly tased by officers, refused to follow commands and appeared to be “under the influence of a narcotic.”
Further investigation revealed that Cole was involved in other incidents before he is accused of arriving to the gas station with the machete.
| READ MORE | Latest headlines from Nashville and Davidson County
In fact, police reported Cole was driving a maroon Chrysler van earlier that night, which crashed into utility poles along Thompson Place and nearly struck a civilian in the 1000 block of Murfreesboro Pike.
In addition, an arrest report states Cole made a call for service earlier that day telling dispatch that he had been shot near a gas station along Elm Hill Pike and was on his way to Summit Hospital to receive treatment. However, staff at the hospital told officers that they had no reports of a patient walking in with a gunshot wound.
CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime news from Middle Tennessee
Cole was booked into Metro Jail after his blood was drawn at Nashville General Hospital. He was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, making a false report, aggravated reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, driving under the influence, resisting arrest, and failure to file a report of an accident.
The 43-year-old is being held in Metro Jail on a $84,000 bond.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.