NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – A 40-year-old convicted felon is back behind bars, and now faces up to 13 charges, after police said he led officers on a pursuit in a stolen vehicle.

Metro police reported the incident began Monday, Nov. 13 just before 2 a.m. at the Thorton’s in the 700 block of Stewarts Ferry Pike. 

According to an arrest report, officers observed a white Dodge Charger SRT in the parking lot with a temporary license plate, which came back as “not on file.” 

When officers approached the vehicle, they noticed that the VIN number was covered with a piece of paper and asked the driver to uncover it.  

Metro police said the driver — identified as 40-year-old Rafi Shalizi — appeared hesitant to do so, but later removed the paper after officers informed him that it was illegal to cover the VIN. 

Authorities reported that the vehicle came back as stolen after officers ran the VIN. Shalizi then drove out of the parking lot and fled from officers at a high rate of speed. 

An arrest report says Shalizi led the pursuit through several roadways and nearly struck another driver on Bell Road. 

According to Metro police, the pursuit ended in the 2600 block of Smith Springs Road after officers utilized spike strips on the Charger. 

Shalizi was taken into custody after running into the backyard of a home, police said. Inside the stolen vehicle, officers located a semi-automatic handgun on the driver’s side floorboard and another handgun in the trunk. 

Marijuana and a glass pipe with white residue were also found in the vehicle, according to an arrest affidavit. 

In a police interview, Shalizi allegedly admitted that he had the stolen Dodge Charger for at least two months.

Shalizi was taken into custody and jailed on 13 different charges.