Georgia

‘Armed and dangerous’ man accused of NC kidnapping arrested in Georgia, deputies say

A hitchhiker accused of kidnapping in North Carolina was arrested in Georgia after days of being on the run, deputies say.
A hitchhiker accused of kidnapping in North Carolina was arrested in Georgia after days of being on the run, deputies say. Getty Images/iStockphoto

An “armed and dangerous” man accused of kidnapping a North Carolina woman was arrested in Georgia after days on the run, according to authorities.

Jordan Hedden was arrested on Monday, Dec. 4, in Union County, near the Georgia-North Carolina line, after turning himself in, Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith confirmed to McClatchy News.

Deputies said Hedden and a woman, Stephanie Neace, were hitchhiking Nov. 30 when they abducted a driver who offered them a ride.

They forced her into the back and took over driving the vehicle, authorities said.

Neace was later arrested in Georgia.

Hedden was still on the run after he reportedly broke into a home in Tennessee on Dec. 2, deputies said. Investigators said he then hitchhiked into Georgia, where he was arrested.

Deputies said the kidnapped driver was shaken up, but she is expected to be OK.

Read Next
Read Next
Read Next

This story was originally published December 4, 2023 at 11:23 AM.

Tanasia Kenney
Sun Herald
Tanasia is a service journalism reporter at the Charlotte Observer | CharlotteFive, working remotely from Atlanta, Georgia. She covers restaurant openings/closings in Charlotte and statewide explainers for the NC Service Journalism team. She’s been with McClatchy since 2020.
Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER