A 22-year-old is behind bars after exchanging gunfire with two Spalding County deputies outside a home Tuesday evening, authorities said.
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies James Prue and James Dildy were shot at while responding to a domestic call in the 100 block of King Richard Drive about 11:45 p.m.
As they arrived, they spotted James Hobbs standing outside in a yard, Sheriff Darrell Dix said in a news release.
“The deputies were riding together and when they saw Hobbs they stopped their vehicle to make contact with him,” Dix said. “As they exited, and before they could even speak to him, Hobbs produced a handgun and fired a shot, striking their patrol car.”
Prue and Dildy took cover behind their vehicle as Hobbs allegedly fired a second round, striking the car once more. Both deputies returned fire, and Hobbs ran into some nearby woods and disappeared, authorities said.
A perimeter was set up in the area as additional deputies arrived to assist in the search. Before police entered the woods, however, Hobbs emerged near Westmoreland Road and surrendered.
The gun he reportedly used to shoot at the deputies was recovered near the initial scene, authorities said.
Dix said that Hobbs was out of jail on a conditional bond for violating the state’s Family Violence Act and prohibited from being at the home where the shooting occurred.
He remains held at the Spalding County jail on one count of aggravated assault, but deputies said additional charges are pending.
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