A Rabun County man is in custody after authorities say he hid inside a vehicle and forced the driver to take him to another location before being caught last week.
According to the Rabun County Sheriff’s Office, Austin Fleming was arrested on September 30 after deputies issued a “Be On the Lookout” alert for him and his vehicle. Investigators said Fleming left his own car unattended, went to the victim’s home, and hid inside the victim’s vehicle.
When the victim got in and drove away, Fleming revealed himself and ordered the victim to drive him back to his vehicle. Deputies said Fleming took the victim’s electronic device and claimed he was armed. He then directed the victim to follow him to another location, threatening to use force if they did not comply.
While following Fleming, the victim saw a Rabun County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle and pulled over to get help. The victim gave a statement describing what had happened, prompting deputies to issue the alert.
Fleming was later located and arrested without incident through coordination between the Rabun County and Towns County sheriff’s offices.
The case remains under investigation, and officials said additional charges may be pending.
