GORDON COUNTY, Ga. — A north Georgia sheriff’s office is searching for a fugitive after authorities said the man set a house on fire with a woman and a young child inside.
The Gordon County Sheriff’s Office said Saturday night that Charles Timothy Battles, 46, is wanted for attempted murder and arson after a residential fire on Johnson Drive early Saturday morning.
Authorities are actively searching for Battles, who is considered dangerous and at large.
At about 6 a.m., deputy sheriffs and Gordon County Fire Rescue responded to a fire at the home. The occupants narrowly escaped the blaze, but the structure was destroyed.
The Gordon County Sheriff’s Office says detectives have gathered substantial evidence linking Battles to the crime, including physical, electronic and testimonial evidence.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office is assisting in the investigation, and an intensive search is underway for Battles, who was last seen near Johnson Drive and Boone Ford Road around 6 a.m. on Saturday.
He has no fixed address and is believed to be traveling on foot.
Authorities urge anyone with information about Battles’ whereabouts to call 911.
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