By Joe Johnson
A paroled convict was arrested Tuesday night after he opened fire on a Georgia State Patrol trooper with an assault rifle in Hull, authorities said Wednesday morning.
The incident began at about 10:10 p.m. when 24-year-old Timothy Demond Carruth Jr. fled from a traffic stop initiated by the trooper, who used his cruiser to perform a P.I.T. maneuver on the suspect’s vehicle, causing it to become stuck on the side of state Highway 72, in the area of Meadow Lane, according to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which is assisting in the investigation.
Carruth then “exited the vehicle and began firing at the trooper with an assault style rifle,” the GBI stated in a news release.
The sheriff’s office identified Carruth’s weapon as an AK-47.
The trooper returned fire but neither he nor Carruth was injured, the GBI said.
Carruth then ran into a nearby pasture and woods and was located approximately two hours later with the assistance of a Georgia Department of Corrections K-9 unit.
Carruth was released on parole in October from Macon State Prison, after serving time for aggravated assault and aggravated battery convictions in Athens, according to the DOC website.
According to Madison County sheriff’s Capt. Jimmy Patton, some 100 law enforcement officers took part in the manhunt, including personnel from his agency, the Clarke and Oglethorpe county sheriff’s offices, GSP, GBI, and the Athens-Clarke County, University of Georgia and Danielsville police departments.
We had a lot going on here,” Patton said, adding that while GSP searched for the suspect from a helicopter, officers warned area residents to remain in their homes for their safety.
The GBI said Carruth was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and that more charges were forthcoming, pending completion of the investigation.
According to the Madison County Detention Center’s website, Carruth was charged with numerous traffic offenses, including felony fleeing and eluding a police officer, aggressive driving, reckless driving, failure to obey a stop sign and driving without a valid license.
He was being held without bail being set.
The DOC also placed a hold on Carruth's release.