Three remain at large
Update: The Baldwin Police Department reports two suspects were apprehended in Hall County. Look for a full update in the June 3 edition of The Northeast Georgian.
By Hannah Caudell
One person has been taken into custody while three remained at large at press time after the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office aided the Banks County Sheriff’s Office in a manhunt near Baldwin.
According to reports from the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office and the Banks County Sheriff’s Office, the pursuit began in Banks County on Wednesday afternoon, when Banks County investigators were conducting a narcotics investigation near Nix Road. Investigators attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a black Dodge Charger, when the suspect vehicle accelerated and fled from law enforcement.
The suspect vehicle crossed the county line into Habersham, where the pursuit continued. Investigators lost the suspect vehicle after it turned on Duncan Bridge Road.
While there, Baldwin Chief Chris Jones confirmed for The Northeast Georgian that the suspect vehicle passed his patrol car on double-lines around 5 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. Jones attempted to conduct a traffic stop before the suspect vehicle crashed into another vehicle, when the four suspects began to flee on foot. The Northeast Georgian also requested a crash report from the Georgia State Patrol on Thursday afternoon regarding the incident; the report was not provided before press time Thursday.
According to reports from the Banks County Sheriff’s Office, narcotics were recovered from the suspect vehicle; Banks County will pursue a related narcotics charge.
One person was apprehended in relation to the pursuit; three others remained at large before press time Thursday. A report from the Banks County Sheriff’s Office said that the three suspects have also been identified, though their names were not being released because of the ongoing investigation. There was also no indication of an ongoing threat to the public.
The Northeast Georgian reached out to both Banks County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Olivia Justus and Habersham County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Rob Moore for further details. Moore responded early Thursday afternoon, and said that the sheriff’s office assisted with the manhunt on Duncan Bridge near the Baldwin airport and B.C. Grant Road. For more information about the incident itself, he referred all inquiries to the Banks County Sheriff’s Office.
“We just provided a lot of assistance because we had the manpower and the resources to do that,” Moore said.
According to Jones, the Baldwin Police Department also helped with the manhunt Wednesday evening, and the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office and the Helen Police Department brought in K-9 units to assist, as well. He asks Baldwin residents to be alert and to report any suspicious activity in the area to law enforcement. He also asked that Baldwin residents keep their doors and cars locked.
This incident comes a mere two months after another manhunt in the area led to the arrest of Jonathan Lee Jordan, 40, of Alto in March; he was charged with aggravated assault and burglary without bond after he allegedly entered a home and began choking a resident while the person slept.