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Nashville Felon Rams Police, Faces Federal Gun Charges
NASHVILLE, TN – Joe Lewis Williams, Jr., of Nashville, is facing serious federal charges after a brazen attempt to evade arrest turned violent. The 35-year-old allegedly rammed a Metropolitan Nashville Police Department cruiser while fleeing, escalating a routine traffic stop into a dangerous confrontation.
According to court documents, the incident unfolded on April 12, 2017, at the Mercury Court Apartments on Murfreesboro Pike. An MNPD officer recognized Williams driving a vehicle matching the description of one involved in a prior hit-and-run. The officer also knew Williams was wanted on an outstanding warrant for violation of probation. When ordered to stop, Williams refused, instead accelerating and deliberately ramming the officer’s patrol car, pushing it aside to make his escape.
The pursuit didn’t end there. Williams fled to a nearby hotel, ditching his vehicle and attempting to outrun officers on foot. He ignored repeated commands and ran through the hotel’s breezeways before being cornered. A violent struggle ensued, during which a 9mm semiautomatic pistol – loaded with 13 live rounds – was discovered protruding from Williams’ pocket. As the officer attempted to secure the weapon, Williams lunged for the Taser, prompting a second officer to intervene and subdue him. Drug paraphernalia was also recovered at the scene.
Acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith was blunt in his assessment: “This is another example of an assault against a law enforcement officer where the defendant now faces federal charges.” Smith emphasized a zero-tolerance policy for violence against officers in the Middle District of Tennessee. “If you commit an act of violence directed at a law enforcement officer in this district, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will review the incident to determine if there is a basis to bring federal charges.”
This isn’t Williams’ first brush with the law. He has a lengthy criminal record, including prior convictions in Tennessee for possession with intent to sell cocaine, and federal felony convictions for carjacking, use of a firearm in commission of a crime of violence, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and aggravated identity theft. He was indicted on May 18, 2017, and charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, Williams faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rascoe Dean is prosecuting. An indictment is merely an accusation, and Williams is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. But with his extensive record and the violent nature of this latest incident, the feds are making it clear they aren’t playing around.
Key Facts
- State: Tennessee
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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