Jorge Eduardo Hinojosa
The Candler County Sheriff’s Office had a busy weekend working to track down a wanted man who had committed a crime last month in February to responding to an accident that destroyed or damaged several burial sites in a large cemetery outside the city limits of Metter.
According to reports, the Candler County Sheriff Office began the weekend searching for Jorge Eduardo Hinojosa in connection with a sexual assault that occurred on Friday. Warrants had been secured for his arrest, but investigators learned that he had fled Candler County and was believed to be in Louisiana. Candler County notified the Louisiana State Police in an effort to intercept the wanted man.
On Saturday, Hinojosa was spotted in the Rayville, Louisiana area, and fled from state police. During the pursuit, he crashed his vehicle and escaped on foot. An extensive manhunt followed lasting approximately 36 hours, according to Capt. Justin Wells of the Candler County Sheriff’s Office. The search involved troopers, deputies, federal partners, specialized units, K9 teams, and numerous other agencies and assistants.
Around 10:30 Saturday night, Hinojosa was located taken into custody.
Hinojosa will awaiting extradition back to Candler County. The case will be turned over to the Middle Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
Meanwhile, back in Candler County, deputies were called to an incident on Highway 46 involving a truck that had come off a trailer while traveling eastbound. The vehicle left the roadway, entered the shoulder of the road, and continued into Lake Cemetery, where it traveled several hundred feet and damaging multiple headstones and grave sites.
The cemetery caretaker and deputies are working to notify family members of those damaged sites, and the Candler County Sheriff’s Office is taking this matter very seriously. On behalf of Sheriff John Miles, the Sheriff’s Office said recognizes how deeply personal this matter is for the families involved and asks the community to keep those affected families in your thoughts and prayers.
