A Spruce Pine man remains in custody after he was arrested last week for failing to appear in court on an attempted murder charge, felony assault charge and three misdemeanor charges arising out of a child custody exchange.
Jonathan Tyler Garrett, Highway 52 in Spruce Pine, was booked into the Franklin County Jail on July 9th. His jail status remains ‘in custody’ with no bond amount.
Garrett was indicted in May 2022 by a Franklin County Grand Jury on one count of attempted murder, one count of Assault 2nd Degree and three Reckless Endangerment charges.
Garrett is accused of shooting Christopher Thomas with a pistol. Additionally, his assault charge is based on allegations Garrett cut Thomas with a knife.
The misdemeanor charges are based on Garrett’s firing of a pistol in the vicinity of three people in addition to Thomas.
The State of Alabama filed a motion to revoke Garrett’s bond earlier this year and Franklin County Circuit Judge Brian Hamilton granted the motion and entered a writ of arrest on March 24, 2025. That order was later rescinded by the Court, but an alias warrant against Garrett was entered in June.
That’s the warrant executed on Garrett that landed him in the Franklin County Jail earlier this month. A hearing on Garrett’s detention is set for July 22, 2025. Garrett is represented by Russellville attorney Evan Hargett according to court records.
When deputies arrived on a call regarding shots fired at a Spruce Pine business in 2022, they learned Thomas had been shot in the arm but left the scene to get medical treatment before deputies arrived.
An investigation by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office revealed that Garrett and Thomas were in a location for a child custody exchange between Garrett and his ex-wife, who dated Thomas at the time.
A verbal confrontation where witnesses said Garrett made vulgar comments to his ex-wife ensued and led to the physical confrontation, which is why Thomas said he became involved.
Garrett allegedly went to his vehicle to get a pistol, as did Thomas, witnesses aid, but Garrett was the first one to fire his weapon, striking Thomas in the arm, according to investigators.
A return shot by Thomas missed Garrett, investigators said.
As with all defendants charged with a crime, Garrett is presumed to be innocent until and unless convicted by a Court or jury of the charges.
The case was set for a jury trial in June, but was continued after the warrant was entered against Garrett, court records show.
