Suspect in custody after hours-long manhunt

By: Brian Wellmeier

Photo: Habersham County Sheriff's Office

A man sought in connection with an assault inside a Habersham County home Thursday morning was taken into custody hours later following a daylong manhunt in the Mud Creek community, according to the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities said Jonathan Lee Jordan was arrested around 6:50 p.m. Thursday, March 12, after numerous tips from the public helped deputies track his location.

Investigators said multiple 9-1-1 callers reported seeing a man walking along Creasy Patch Road in the Mud Creek community, where deputies from the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office located Jordan and took him into custody without incident.

The search began earlier Thursday after deputies responded to a reported assault around 7:45 a.m. at a residence in the 3800 block of Mud Creek Road.

Officials said the suspect fled the home on foot, prompting a large law enforcement response and an extensive search of the surrounding area.

The man was initially described as a white male with a beard who may have been wearing a white scarf or bandana covering part of his face.

Personnel from the sheriff’s office’s Uniform Patrol Division, Criminal Investigations Division, and K9 Unit were involved in the search effort, with assistance from other agencies. K9 teams tracked the suspect through the area during the search.

Authorities said weather conditions improved throughout the day, allowing additional resources to assist in locating the suspect.

Residents in the Mud Creek community were urged during the search to keep doors to homes, vehicles and outbuildings locked and to report suspicious activity to 911.

Officials say the investigation into the assault remains ongoing.