Suspect arrested in elderly woman's kidnapping

WALTON COUNTY, Ga. - Authorities in Walton County said a suspect in the kidnapping of an 81-year-old woman was arrested overnight. 

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, deputies arrested John Christopher Calhoun, 29, following a high speed car chase in Walton County. He was wanted for kidnapping an elderly victim from her Loganville home and also allegedly assaulting another person in Barrow County. 

"He's not ashamed to use force," said Walton Count Sheriff Joe Chapman ahead of the arrest.  "He wouldn't hesitate for one second to harm someone."

Investigators said the 81-year-old victim was reported missing Sunday morning. They tracked her cell phone to a nearby shopping center and when deputies approached the vehicle, they said the driver sped off, leading them on a chase.

A short time later, the driver hopped a curb behind a Barrow County movie theater and crashed the car into a dry retention pond before running away.

Deputies said the car caught fire, but they were able to extinguish the flames and rescue the woman from the trunk. Paramedics transported her to Athens Regional Medical Center for treatment. 

Investigators have not released the victim's name, but said they were glad to have found her before anything worse happened.  

"I believe if we hadn't acted as soon as we did, we'd probably be working a homicide," explained Sheriff Chapman.

Calhoun is now facing a number of charges, including two counts of carjacking, two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated battery, two counts of armed robbery, two counts of vehicle theft, two counts of elder abuse, burglary, kidnapping and financial transaction card fraud.