MNPD arrests 30-year-old after reported hit-and-run crash and attempted break-ins across West Nashville neighborhood

Crash, flight from the scene, and a neighborhood search

Metro Nashville Police arrested a 30-year-old man after a chain of events that began with a late-weekend crash in West Nashville and ended with reports of attempted break-ins at nearby homes and vehicles. Police said the incident unfolded in the Sylvan Park area on Sunday night, Feb. 22, 2026.

Officers were dispatched to a reported crash at the intersection of Charlotte Pike and 33rd Avenue North, where a Ford Fusion had collided with a power line and a concrete wall. Police said the driver left the scene before officers arrived. Witnesses provided a description that helped patrol officers focus their search in the immediate area.

Stolen vehicle identified and suspect located nearby

At the crash site, officers located a driver’s license inside the Ford Fusion. Police said the vehicle had been reported stolen earlier this month after the owner left keys inside it on Highway 70. Investigators identified the driver’s license as belonging to Hayden Gregory, 30, who police said also uses the name Jose Abarca.

As officers searched the neighborhood, residents reported a man matching the description attempting to enter homes and vehicles. Police said Gregory was then spotted in the area of 33rd Avenue North.

Arrest inside a parked vehicle in a residential garage

Police said officers ultimately found Gregory inside a Range Rover that was parked inside a residential garage and took him into custody without incident.

In booking records and charging documents, police listed multiple allegations tied to the crash, the reported attempted entries, and the stolen vehicle.

Charges filed and next steps in court

• Motor vehicle burglary
• Two counts of attempted motor vehicle burglary
• Four counts of aggravated attempted burglary
• Theft
• Vandalism
• Aggravated criminal trespassing
• Leaving the scene of a crash

Police said Gregory was being held on a $150,000 bond and was scheduled for a court appearance. The case remains subject to court proceedings, where prosecutors must prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.

Residents in the area reported attempted entries into homes and vehicles after the crash, prompting a focused search by responding officers.

The incident highlights a recurring pattern in urban property-crime investigations: a reported vehicle theft can quickly evolve into a broader neighborhood response when a suspect leaves a crash scene and moves on foot. Police did not report injuries related to Sunday night’s crash in the initial information released.