Man tried to strangle girlfriend with seatbelt after breakup, police say

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – A man was arrested after police say he tried to strangle his now-ex-girlfriend with a seatbelt before forcibly removing her from her car and leading police on a chase that ended in a crash.

Earl Eugene Sheppard, 40, is charged with aggravated robbery with a weapon, DUI, domestic assault and evading arrest.

Police said they were patrolling 11th Avenue and Edgehill Avenue in Nashville on Wednesday night when they saw a Nissan sedan that had stopped in traffic. As police activated their emergency lights, they saw Sheppard dragging his girlfriend out of the vehicle and kicking her while she was on the ground, according to an arrest affidavit.

Sheppard’s now-ex-girlfriend said she had just broken up with Sheppard, so he tried to strangle her with a seatbelt before dragging her out of the vehicle, police said. Sheppard then got back in the vehicle and sped away from officers before crashing.

Officers found open containers in the vehicle, according to the affidavit, along with other signs of impairment by Sheppard.

He was booked and remains jailed as of Friday morning.