Escaped Suspected Felon Arrested In Fannin

Blairsville, Ga – Dangerous suspected felon who evaded Union, Fannin, and Gilmer County Sheriff Offices for five days, was finally arrested on Tuesday night in Fannin County.

Union County Sheriff’s Office reported on Wednesday, June 3, that Fannin County Deputies arrested the suspect on Tuesday, June 2. A deputy responded to a tip that an individual matching the description of Bryant was in the 101 Riverstone Vista Area. Upon arrival, he spotted Bryant, who fled when seeing the patrol car. The deputy exited his patrol car and chased Bryant until capture at 11:36 p.m.

Bryant was labeled as a flight risk and held by Fannin County Sheriff’s Office for Union County and Gilmer County. On July 3, he was transferred to Gilmer County Jail. He will remain there until he can make bond and then will be transferred to Union County.

He faces multiple charges in Union County two counts of burglary and two counts of possession of tools to commit a crime. Union County Sheriff’s Office is also following up on Bryant’s involvement in many other open cases. The investigation is ongoing at this time.

Gilmer charges for Bryant include shoplifting, three counts of obstruction, interference with government property, and escape and theft by taking.

Fannin County charges include failure to maintain lane, driving without a license, reckless driving, attempting to evade an officer,  and two counts of obstruction.

Bryant was currently on probation for previous crimes before fleeing the Gilmer County deputies on Friday, June 28 and currently unemployed.

Gilmer County authorities attempted to arrest Joshua Lee Bryant on Friday, June 28 at 9:45 a.m. when he fled the scene.  The suspect had stopped at the local Wal-Mart and was being arrested on the suspicion of shoplifting before he escaped.  After, he commandeered a vacant vehicle. Fannin County deputies spotted Bryant later that morning and chased him across county lines.  Union County deputies joined as he continued down State Highway 325.

Authorities kept their distance due to the high speed of Bryant’s vehicle, keeping him in sight until he ditched the car in the field off of Tate Road and took off on foot into the nearby wooded area. Officers lost Bryant after a five-hour search by law enforcement from Union, Fannin, and Cherokee County Sheriff’s Offices as well a Georgia State Patrol and Department of Natural Resources. Union County Sheriff’s Office continued to conduct regular searches across the county for Bryant since Friday.

On Saturday, June 29, deputies spotted Bryant in the W. Culberson Road and Voylestown Road area.  He also broke into two houses, including one off of  Hawks Claw Road and attempted to steal a utility terrain vehicle.

Bryant’s wanted for several felony and misdemeanor charges across multiple counties, including aggravated assault, obstruction, burglary, two counts of vehicle theft, entering automobile, various traffic offenses, and other penalties.