CHEATHAM COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — A fugitive who’s been on the run for the better part of two years is now back behind bars in Cheatham County.
Court documents show that William Leon Frey, 33, is a career criminal wanted in multiple states for serious felonies.
However, Frey’s days of running from the law ended after someone shot him in the leg multiple times on or around Thursday, Dec. 1. That incident sent him to the hospital, where authorities responded and started verifying his records and outstanding warrants.
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“Generally, any time somebody shows up at the hospital that’s been shot, they’re going to call law enforcement,” said Lt. Ken Miller with the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office.
Metro records show Frey’s adult history with the police began in 2005 when he was charged with aggravated assault, aggravated robbery, theft, evading, and possession of a weapon.
After that, the Nashville man went to prison in 2015 for robbery. He was released in 2020 when his sentence expired.
Following his release, records show Frey quickly ended up back in trouble, this time with the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), who drew up arrest warrants for evading arrest and child endangerment in 2020.
“People at this age in this kind of trouble, seems like they can’t break that circle,” Miller said. “He’s living that life.”
During the two years Frey spent as a fugitive, he ended up in Texas, where he is currently wanted for violent felonies, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
As for the shooting that led to Frey’s arrest last week, the identity of the shooter and the reason behind it are still unknown.
“The warrants are on file. We are going to keep looking,” said Miller. “It may take us a while, but eventually, they’ll mess up and we’ll find them and bring them in and make them accountable.”
The irony that Frey was captured because he was the victim of a shooting is not lost upon the Cheatham County lieutenant.
“He may be a victim on this, but is he a victim of this incident or is he a victim of his lifestyle? If you keep living that kind of life, sooner or later, something will happen and you will be held accountable for everything that we got,” Miller explained.
News 2 learned that Metro Police detectives hope to interview Frey about the shooting that sent him to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and landed him back behind bars.
When Middle Tennessee authorities are done with Frey, Texas law enforcement officials have a hold on the wanted man.