Wanted man who fled Forsyth captured by police in South Carolina after chase, crash

Monroe County Schools were locked down as a precaution for much of the day Wednesday as sheriff’s deputies scoured Forsyth for a Virginia man wanted on multiple felony charges who drove away in a stolen SUV, authorities said.

Gregory Allen Jones, 39, was caught Wednesday afternoon after leading police on a chase in Anderson, South Carolina, some three hours away by car, according to Monroe sheriff’s officials.

The officials said cops in South Carolina spotted the stolen SUV and followed it. A chase ensued and Jones wrecked, they said.

Jones had been the subject of an all-day manhunt in and around Forsyth.

Attempted police stop

He reportedly fled when deputies approached him in a vehicle outside the Red Roof Inn near Interstate 75 after the deputies got a tip that Jones was at the motel.

Jones was said to have been recently featured on the television show “America’s Most Wanted.”

Deputies at the motel fired shots at Jones’ tires as he rode off, but he kept going. He wrecked his vehicle behind Daysprings Presbyterian Church at U.S. 41 and Thornton Road.

After the crash, Jones ran away and may have a short time later stolen a gray Hyundai Tucson, sheriff’s officials said. The Hyundai’s owner apparently didn’t know it was missing until about 1 p.m.

A sheriff’s spokeswoman said in an email sent to area news outlets Wednesday a couple of hours later that Jones may have stolen the SUV at some point “earlier this morning.”

Wanted by Virginia police

Jones, whose modus operandi appears to be outrunning the police, was likely closing in on South Carolina by the time deputies in Forsyth learned of the theft.

The 5-foot-8, 240-pounder who has brown eyes and a shaved head has been sought by police in Augusta County, Virginia, since early December when he allegedly eluded cops in a chase there.

Jones, who is from the town of Waynesboro, 20 miles or so west of Charlottesville, was sought for eluding police, reckless driving, drug possession and two gun charges in connection with the Dec. 8 pursuit in Augusta County.

Police in Virginia were said to have chased Jones a second time on Dec. 17 when he again got away.

What may have led him to Georgia or how long he might have been staying at the freeway-side motel here was unclear.

School lockdowns lifted

Multiple agencies were involved in the manhunt including Forsyth Police Department, Georgia State Patrol and Department of Corrections.

Mary Persons High School, Monroe County Middle School, Monroe County Achievement Center and T.G. Scott Elementary School were locked down about 10 a.m., and Hubbard Elementary School and K. B. Sutton Elementary School were in Code Yellow status.

Each school had multiple deputies on hand for the lockdown, which was lifted at day’s end. Schools will resume normal operations on Thursday.

This story was originally published January 20, 2021 at 9:48 AM.