Meridian barrier stops alleged DUI driver in Nashville pedestrian zone

Police in Nashville said a Meridian Archer 1200 mobile barrier stopped an alleged repeat DUI driver from entering a closed Lower Broadway pedestrian area where hundreds of people were gathered. The incident adds to the growing use of mobile barriers at crowded public events and districts.

Why it matters: - The Nashville incident shows how mobile vehicle barriers can stop a vehicle threat before it reaches a crowded pedestrian area. - The case also underscores how cities and police are using deployable barriers for entertainment districts, concerts, festivals, parades and other large gatherings. - The outcome mattered because hundreds of people were in the Lower Broadway pedestrian zone when the vehicle was blocked.

What happened: - The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said a 29-year-old woman tried to drive into a closed section of Lower Broadway late Friday night. - Police said an officer with the Nashville Police Department's Entertainment District Unit told her to stop, but she kept driving toward the pedestrian area. - Police said a Meridian barrier prevented the vehicle from entering the closed section of Lower Broadway from 2nd Avenue. - The woman crashed into three vehicles while trying to escape. - An officer trying to stop the driver was slightly injured. - Police later arrested the woman at her home. - Police said the case involved a fourth-offense DUI.

The details: - Meridian Rapid Defense Group said the Archer 1200 mobile vehicle barrier was the system involved. - Nashville has invested in Meridian barriers for use by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and other city agencies. - The Archer 1200 can be deployed quickly to close streets and create protected pedestrian zones without permanent barriers. - Meridian said the Archer 1200 can be transported, deployed and repositioned as conditions change. - Meridian said the system gives law enforcement and event organizers a flexible way to create vehicle exclusion zones. - Meridian Archer 1200 barriers, Archer Guard and gates are "SAFETY Act Certified" by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. - Meridian said more information is available in the company's announcement.

Between the lines: - Meridian is using the Nashville case to highlight a broader shift away from heavy concrete barriers and parked vehicles as temporary roadblocks. - Peter Whitford, president and CEO of Meridian Rapid Defense Group, said mobile barriers give cities and law enforcement a faster way to protect pedestrians. - Whitford also pointed to a similar situation in California at a large concert where Meridian barriers stopped an alleged drunk driver. - The company is positioning the Archer 1200 as a practical alternative for places where crowds and vehicles can come into close contact.

What's next: - The Nashville incident is likely to be cited as another example of mobile barriers being used to protect pedestrians in busy public spaces. - Cities and event organizers may continue expanding barrier use at high-traffic venues and street closures. - Meridian is expected to keep promoting the Archer 1200 as a rapid-deployment option for public safety planning.

The bottom line: - In Nashville, a mobile barrier appears to have prevented a potentially dangerous vehicle entry into a crowded pedestrian zone before anyone in the crowd was hit.