Metro Police came upon a car vs. pole wreck overnight at the intersection of Charlotte Ave & Morrow Rd. Officers immediately noticed a man standing by the liquor store in front of the intersection, close to the crashed vehicle, observing the scene. The man, identified as 26-year-old John Thomas Couch, told police that it was his vehicle, but he was not in the vehicle when the crash occurred. He later told police he was in the vehicle, but his ‘friend’ was driving, and fled the scene immediately after the crash, but refused to provide any information about said ‘friend’ and was defensive to any questions asked to him about the friend.
Police soon realized Couch & his now wrecked vehicle were the subject of a BOLO sent out earlier at 12:43 a.m., after Jared, who is an employee of Neighbors of Sylvan Park bar, had called Metro Police to report a “male white, approximately 5’11” tall, wearing a buttoned up shirt that was tucked in, and brown hair, was driving a vehicle (with given tag #) while intoxicated”. Police note the description of man as well of the license plate number were an exact match to John Couch and his wrecked vehicle.
Couch refused all field sobriety tests, as well as implied consent when it was read to him. While officers were attempting to take him into custody, he resisted arrest to the point it took two MNPD officers to force him into the back seat of a patrol vehicle. Couch was charged with DUI, resisting arrest, and violation of the implied consent law. He was freed on pre-trial release to his James Avenue address in West Nashville.
