NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A series of car thefts, including one that left a man hospitalized, came to an end this week after the alleged burglar was taken into custody.
Thaddous Baskette, 30, was arrested on Tuesday, July 6, on 11 outstanding warrants related to the string of thefts, as well as two additional charges. Metro Nashville police had been searching for Baskette, who was added to Nashville's "Most Wanted" list, since June 22.
Around 11:45 p.m. that night, a homeowner in the Greenbrier Road area said he noticed vehicle headlights shining through his window. When he looked to see what was happening, the man "realized someone was stealing his 2019 Dodge Ram truck," according to an arrest affidavit.
As he started heading outside, the homeowner said he saw the suspect run and get inside the truck. The owner managed to grab onto one of the truck's door handles in an attempt to open it, but the door was locked.
Clik here to view.
The owner was still holding onto the handle when the suspect reportedly began driving off and ran him over. In the arrest affidavit, police said the homeowner suffered multiple severe injuries, including a broken back, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, lacerated kidney and internal bleeding.
His spleen also had to be removed because "it was damaged so bad," authorities said. The man spent over a week in the hospital due to his injuries.
Around 1:20 a.m., the man's stolen truck was spotted on surveillance footage pulling into a gas station on Dickerson Pike. In the video, the suspect, who was later identified as Baskette, could be seen smoking a cigarette. Police also took note of his "distinctive arm tattoos."
The victim later provided credit card information to investigators, which they said showed that his stolen credit cards were used at the gas station. After the man got out of the hospital, he said he realized the suspect had also taken multiple gas operated tools from his garage.
As detectives continued searching for Baskette, he became the suspect in another incident that happened about a month later on July 19. Surveillance footage reportedly captured Baskette getting into a dump truck in a gated area off Harper Road and driving it out of the lot.
For an unknown reason, he then backed the dump truck back into the gated lot. While he was there, authorities said Baskette caused an estimated $1,500 in damages to the gate.
Then, on July 20, police said home surveillance footage caught Baskette in another theft. He could reportedly be seen taking a green Honda four-wheeler from a home on Cato Road. Officials said the vehicle was valued at around $2,500.
Just about three weeks after he was put on the "Most Wanted" list, detectives were able to track Baskette down and take him into custody. While he was being searched before being taken to jail, officers said they found 17.7 grams of marijuana in his front sweatshirt pocket and a "crack pipe" in his left pants pocket.
The charges against him include aggravated assault with serious bodily injury, especially aggravated burglary, vehicle theft less than $60,000, two counts of vehicle theft less than $10,000, vehicle theft less than $2,500, two counts of theft of property, trespassing, unauthorized use of a vehicle and failure to appear.
After his arrest, Baskette will be facing additional charges for possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Authorities said Baskette also has six outstanding warrants in Cheatham County.
He is now among at least 126 "Most Wanted" fugitives who have been taken into custody since the program was launched in October 2022. Investigators have largely attributed the program’s success to tips they’ve received from the public.