Inset: Charles Battles (Gordon County Sheriff's Office). Background: The home in Gordon County, Ga., that Charles Battles allegedly set on fire with a mother and her "small child" inside (WAGA).
A Georgia man is charged with attempted murder for allegedly setting a fire at a home with a mother and her "small child" inside, just months after he was caught stalking and harassing the woman. Cops say he is currently on probation for his behavior, which included "climbing on top of the hood" of the mom's car, according to court documents.
Charles Battles, 46, is accused of setting the Gordon County home ablaze on Saturday around 6 a.m. before going on the run, with local authorities launching a manhunt for his arrest over the weekend. Police took Battles into custody Sunday and charged him with multiple crimes, including arson and aggravated stalking to go with the attempted murder charge. The condition of the mother and child he allegedly targeted is unknown, but they both survived.
"The home was occupied at the time by a woman and a small child, who barely escaped with their lives," the Gordon County Sheriff's Office said in a press release Saturday. "The structure was destroyed."
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Battles was previously arrested for harassing the victim and pleaded guilty in October to aggravated stalking, according to court records. He was serving a sentence of probation at the time of the alleged fire attack.
Charging documents obtained by Law&Crime show that Battles was busted in July for "climbing on top of the hood" of the mother's car and causing more than $500 in damage. He went to the victim's now-destroyed home on Johnson Drive that day "for the purpose of harassing and intimidating" her, the documents say.
"On or about the 18th day of July, 2025, [Battles] did with the purpose of terrorizing [the victim] threaten to commit aggravated assault," the documents allege.
"[Battles] did knowingly and without authority enter upon the land of [the victim], the rightful occupant … after having received notice from said rightful occupant that such entry was forbidden," the documents add.
For the fire incident, police said they recovered "an abundance of evidence: physical, electronic, and testimonial" linking Battles to the blaze. He allegedly fled on foot after starting the fire and was caught at a "private residence" near Scottsville "with the invaluable help of our private citizens," according to cops.
"He was surprised by the arresting officers and apprehended without incident," the sheriff's office said in its press release. "It was important that this matter be resolved quickly given the nature and severity of these crimes," Sheriff Mitch Ralston explained in a statement. "Everyone involved worked around the clock to bring this defendant in, and now he will be held accountable in our courts."