Georgia man wanted for arson, stalking, hitting ex-girlfriend surrenders
Joseph Roger Burns (Credit: Haralson County Sheriff's Office)
HARALSCON COUNTY, Ga. - The man accused of being involved in a physically abusive situation before setting his ex-girlfriend’s house on fire has surrendered to authorities.
Joseph Roger Burns, 31, of Bremen, had been on the run for more than a month. He turned himself into authorities in Kentucky on Thursday.
Burns had broken into his ex-girlfriend’s house and hit her in the head on Sept. 21, according to the Haralson County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded around 8:30 a.m. to the home located the 600 block of Nitra Road on Sept. 21. When 911 was called, Burns reportedly threatened to burn the house down from the kitchen, not far from where the victim’s son was sleeping, deputies said.
Officials said Burns continued to hit the victim in front of witnesses outside after she grabbed her child and escaped.
When Burns heard sirens, witnesses said he ran into the woods.
No word on when he will be extradited back to Georgia to face charges of arson in the first degree, battery, stalking, aggravated stalking, aggravated assault, burglary and criminal trespass.