‘Armed and dangerous’ suspect accused of stabbing off-duty officer in Rockdale

The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help to find a man accused of stabbing an off-duty metro Atlanta officer following a hit-and-run crash Saturday night, authorities said.

A manhunt continued Sunday morning for Justin Perry Hurst, who allegedly crashed into the off-duty officer’s car, drove away, and stabbed the officer once confronted, the sheriff’s office said.

The 36-year-old suspect, who has ties to Alpharetta, is “considered armed and dangerous,” according to deputies.

The hit-and-run crash happened at about 6 p.m. Saturday on I-20 near Panola Road in DeKalb County.

According to the sheriff’s office, Hurst was behind the wheel of a Dodge Charger in the eastbound lanes that night when he struck a Chevy Silverado driven by the off-duty officer and left the scene.

To get the tag information, the off-duty officer then followed the Charger into Rockdale County, where the two drivers stopped in a parking lot on Wall Street near Conyers and started to argue, deputies said.

During the dispute, authorities said Hurst allegedly hit the victim and stabbed the person several times. The victim was only identified by the sheriff’s office as an “off-duty officer from the metro Atlanta area.”

The officer, whose name and police department was not released, was taken to a hospital and the severity of their injuries is “currently being evaluated,” deputies said. Hurst left the scene and was last seen traveling in a white 2019 Volkswagen Passat with Georgia tags.