'Barely escaped': Stalker set house on fire with mom and 'small child' inside, cops say

A Georgia antheral is charged with attempted murder for allegedly mounting a occurrence astatine a location with a mother and her "small child" inside, conscionable months aft helium was caught stalking and harassing the woman. Cops accidental helium is presently connected probation for his behavior, which included "climbing connected apical of the hood" of the mom's car, according to tribunal documents.

Charles Battles, 46, is accused of mounting the Gordon County location ablaze connected Saturday astir 6 a.m. earlier going connected the run, with section authorities launching a manhunt for his apprehension implicit the weekend. Police took Battles into custody Sunday and charged him with aggregate crimes, including arson and aggravated stalking to spell with the attempted execution charge. The information of the parent and child helium allegedly targeted is unknown, but they some survived.

"The location was occupied astatine the clip by a pistillate and a tiny child, who hardly escaped with their lives," the Gordon County Sheriff's Office said successful a press release Saturday. "The operation was destroyed."

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Battles was antecedently arrested for harassing the unfortunate and pleaded blameworthy successful October to aggravated stalking, according to tribunal records. He was serving a condemnation of probation astatine the clip of the alleged occurrence attack.

Charging documents obtained by Law&Crime amusement that Battles was busted successful July for "climbing connected apical of the hood" of the mother's car and causing much than $500 successful damage. He went to the victim's now-destroyed location connected Johnson Drive that time "for the intent of harassing and intimidating" her, the documents say.

"On oregon astir the 18th time of July, 2025, [Battles] did with the intent of terrorizing [the victim] endanger to perpetrate aggravated assault," the documents allege.

"[Battles] did knowingly and without authorization participate upon the onshore of [the victim], the rightful occupant … aft having received announcement from said rightful occupant that specified introduction was forbidden," the documents add.

For the occurrence incident, constabulary said they recovered "an abundance of evidence: physical, electronic, and testimonial" linking Battles to the blaze. He allegedly fled connected ft aft starting the occurrence and was caught astatine a "private residence" adjacent Scottsville "with the invaluable assistance of our backstage citizens," according to cops.

"He was amazed by the arresting officers and apprehended without incident," the sheriff's bureau said successful its property release. "It was important that this substance beryllium resolved rapidly fixed the quality and severity of these crimes," Sheriff Mitch Ralston explained successful a statement. "Everyone progressive worked astir the timepiece to bring this suspect in, and present helium volition beryllium held accountable successful our courts."