Newnan man held daughter hostage during standoff, sheriff's office says
Jeremy Head. Courtesy of Coweta County Sheriff's Office
COWETA COUNTY, Ga. - A 14-year-old girl escaped from a Newnan home after authorities say her father assaulted her and held her against her will during a domestic dispute Tuesday.
PREVIOUS STORY: SWAT team surrounds Coweta home after dispute turns into hostage crisis
What we know:
Coweta County deputies were called to a home in the 2700 block of Highway 154 around 4:23 p.m. after receiving a report of a domestic dispute.
When deputies arrived, witnesses told investigators that Jeremy Head had physically assaulted his 14-year-old daughter and was holding her inside the home, according to the Coweta County Sheriff's Office.
SWAT teams respond
Deputies secured the area and attempted to contact the people inside the home. The Coweta County SWAT and drone teams were activated, and Georgia State Patrol SWAT was called to assist.
Hostage negotiators also worked to resolve the situation.
Around 8:30 p.m., authorities say the girl was able to escape from the home after Head fell asleep.
Once she was safely away from the residence, SWAT members entered the home and took Head into custody without further incident.
Charges filed
What's next:
Head was booked into the Coweta County Jail on charges of false imprisonment, family violence battery, cruelty to children, two counts of terroristic threats and acts, possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime and obstruction.
Authorities did not provide additional information about the girl's condition or specify what type of weapon was allegedly involved.
Previously named Most Wanted
The backstory:
Head has had several previous encounters with law enforcement. In an earlier case, Coweta County authorities identified him as one of the county's most wanted fugitives after he allegedly spent more than a year avoiding arrest.
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Authorities eventually tracked Head to a Carroll County home, where investigators said he barricaded himself inside and refused to surrender. Members of the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force and other law enforcement agencies surrounded the home before officers forced their way inside. A K-9 assisted in taking Head into custody after authorities said he attempted to flee.
At the time, Head was wanted for a probation violation connected to a 2018 assault on a family member. Investigators said he fired a shotgun three times without striking the victim before beating the person with the weapon.
Head also previously faced charges stemming from a 2018 crash that killed a 26-year-old Newnan mother. He was indicted on a charge of driving with a suspended license and later pleaded guilty.