Four carjacking suspects arrested following pursuit in Clarksville

CLARKSVILLE, TN (WSMV) - Metro Police said four people arrested Wednesday night in Clarksville likely prevented a confrontation between rival groups and likely gunfire between them.

Detectives had received information concerning the confrontation to occur in the area of 2400 Buena Vista Pike involving Javon Kelly, 20, and others. Kelly was free on $35,000 bond in relations to a 2021 aggravated robbery arrest.

Kelly and three other people were spotted at 2400 Buena Vista Pike and were followed as they left in a red Honda Accord. Police determined they were armed.

Detectives attempted to stop the car near the intersection of Clarksville Pike and West Hamilton Road. It pulled over before fleeing. Police did not attempt a ground pursuit as a Tennessee Highway Patrol helicopter was in the area. The helicopter followed the Honda on I-24 West to Clarksville.

Troopers attempted to stop the car in Montgomery County but were unsuccessful.

The Honda exited I-24 at Exit 8 in Clarksville and was involved in a crash. The four occupants, identified as Kelly, Juan Rodriguez, 19, I’yendaye Byrd, 18, and Armesia Newsom, 18, bailed from the car and carjacked a nearby pickup truck. Clarksville police and other law enforcement pursued the pickup truck for about 10 minutes before it crashed while attempting to get onto I-24 East toward Nashville. They were taken into custody and charged with carjacking in Montgomery County.

Metro Police said five guns were recovered, three from the wrecked Honda and two from the pickup truck.

Detectives are talking with the United States Attorney’s Office concerning possible federal charges against the four. Rodriquez was convicted of felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in January in Nashville and was given a mostly probated four-year sentence, according to police. Byrd was arrested at the age of 16 and charged in Juvenile Court with criminal homicide for a Dec. 31, 2020, fatal shooting. He had an ankle monitor at the time of his arrest on Wednesday night.

Clarksville Police received information about the suspects traveling into the Clarksville area about 6:38 p.m. Wednesday.

No one was injured in the crashes or the carjacking incident.

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