Katlyn Gayle Wray’s pre-dawn drive through Nashville on Tuesday turned into a bizarre and tense chase that drew in multiple law enforcement agencies and ended with her arrest along a busy interstate.
Authorities say the 28-year-old led officers on an hours-long low-speed pursuit after being discovered asleep in a stolen vehicle, ultimately ending with her capture following a police maneuver on Interstate 24, KION456 reported.
The incident unfolded around 3 a.m. on July 1, when officers with the Metro Nashville Police Department located a black Nissan Altima parked and running outside a business at 826 Burnett Road in Old Hickory. Since the vehicle had heavily tinted windows, officers were initially unable to see inside.
After running the car’s license plate, police confirmed it had been reported stolen. When they approached the vehicle, they discovered Wray asleep in the driver’s seat.
Officers acted quickly, arranging a vehicle block and deploying spike strips to contain the situation before activating emergency lights and ordering Wray to exit. Instead of complying, she reversed the Altima, hitting a patrol unit.
She then accelerated forward, brushing another police car and nearly striking an officer as four officers surrounded the vehicle. Despite punctured tires from the spike strips, Wray drove off and began a slow-moving escape.
Sky 5 aerial surveillance tracked the vehicle as it crept along Nashville roads at speeds as low as 7 mph and rarely above 15 mph. By 3:45 a.m., the chase was underway with ground units in pursuit.
Due to the sluggish speed and potential for harm, Metro police withdrew their vehicles from the chase around 5:30 a.m. near Murfreesboro Pike and Knight Valley Drive. A Tennessee Highway Patrol vehicle joined the search by 7 a.m.
The chase finally came to an end at 7:30 a.m. when THP officers used a precision immobilization technique, or PIT maneuver, on Interstate 24 West. Wray’s vehicle was forced to the side of the highway, and she was taken into custody immediately without further incident.
Following her arrest, Wray reportedly told police, “I’m already on paper for ten years anyway,” referencing her probation status. She is currently under court supervision from a 2023 forgery conviction.
Wray’s criminal history includes aggravated burglary in Cheatham County, cocaine possession in Rutherford County, criminal simulation in Wilson County, and several theft-related offenses in Davidson County. Investigators also found she had an outstanding warrant from May for failing to return a stolen Ford Fiesta.
Following Tuesday’s incident, she faces multiple charges, including two counts of motor vehicle theft, five counts of evading arrest with risk of injury, and several counts related to reckless behavior and property damage.
Legal analyst Nick Leonardo commented on police actions, noting that public safety was prioritized. “They’re constantly asking for additional information about traffic patterns and how crowded it is, the speed,” he said. “There’s a need to protect the public, and that protection is paramount to trying to catch the bad guys.”
Leonardo also described the final maneuver to end the pursuit as appropriate given the circumstances. “What we saw today was the right decision by the police department,” he added.
Wray is currently being held on a $107,000 bond and remains in custody as court proceedings await. No injuries were reported among officers or bystanders during the chase.
The suspect’s slow, steady flight surprised viewers, with one calling it “not even a low-speed chase” and suggesting it deserved its own category.
The bizarre four-hour pursuit, which covered multiple city areas despite the car being disabled, raised concerns about how officers evaluate safety during extended chases.
Authorities are still reviewing Wray’s actions before and during the incident, and additional charges may follow based on their findings.
