NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A man with a long criminal history was taken into custody Tuesday morning after Metro Nashville police said he robbed a man and woman at gunpoint and drove off in their RV.
The incident reportedly unfolded around 12:30 a.m. in a parking lot on Victory Avenue near Nissan Stadium. The couple, both in their mid-20s, were walking to their RV when they spotted a man getting out of his car.
According to officials, the couple felt "uncomfortable" so they both got into the driver's side of the RV. That's when police said the man, later identified as 33-year-old Jesse McBride, opened the passenger door and held the couple at gunpoint.
McBride reportedly demanded their keys and wallets. After the two victims complied, authorities said McBride drove off in their RV. The couple told responding officers they had Apple AirTags in the RV, which were tracked to East Trinity Lane and Dickerson Pike.
East Precinct officers caught up with McBride and tried to initiate a traffic stop. However, officials said McBride kept driving. After officers successfully deployed spike strips, McBride reportedly wrecked the RV, got out and started running.
Officer Tommy Smith and his K-9 partner Talon chased after McBride and were able to take him into custody, police said. He is now charged with aggravated robbery, carjacking and evading arrest.
Court records show McBride has a criminal history dating back to 2008, when he was convicted of multiple counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. After spending some time in jail, McBride was convicted of another set of charges in 2014.
Those charges included evading arrest, criminal impersonation and burglary. He was arrested again for a burglary at an East Nashville gas station in 2022 and later found guilty. Records indicate that he was still on probation when the alleged carjacking happened on Tuesday.
Authorities said McBride is being held in jail in lieu of a $175,000 bond.