Georgia – In a harrowing incident in Georgia, a fire that nearly claimed the lives of a mother and her young child has led to a dramatic arrest and a slate of serious charges for the man accused of setting it. A 46-year-old man, identified as C. Battles, was taken into custody after investigators say he set the home ablaze in “an act of intimidation” against the woman he had been stalking and harassing for months. The case exposes a chilling escalation from stalking to attempted murder.
Battles is charged with attempted murder, first‑degree arson, aggravated stalking, criminal trespass, and several counts of criminal attempt to commit a felony, among other offenses. The charges stem from a fire early on a Saturday morning at a residence, where a woman and her “small child” were inside when the blaze erupted. The sheriff’s office said the home’s occupants barely escaped certain death.
Court records reveal that Battles had been on probation for a prior stalking conviction when the fire occurred. In July, he “climbed on top of the hood” of the woman’s car, caused more than $500 in damages, and visited her home “for the purpose of harassing and intimidating” her. On the morning in question, deputies say Battles entered the same residence—occupied by the woman he had previously stalked—and set the structure ablaze. Fire investigators recovered “an abundance of evidence: physical, electronic, and testimonial” linking Battles to the blaze. Shortly after 6 a.m. on the day of the fire, emergency crews from the fire department were called to the residence. As they arrived, the structure was already engulfed or severely damaged. The sheriff’s office reported that the home was occupied by a woman and a small child who escaped with their lives, though the structure was ultimately “destroyed.”
Deputies conducted a manhunt after tracing evidence back to Battles. He was located Sunday morning and taken into custody without incident, thanks in part to tips from private citizens. Upon arrest, Battles joined the earlier stalking case, for which he pled guilty in October, and the new fire and attempted murder charges that stem from the escalation. Sheriff M. Ralston praised the joint work of deputies, fire investigators, and citizens: “It was important that this matter be resolved quickly given the nature and severity of these crimes… now he will be held accountable in our courts.” As of now Battles remains in custody, facing the new charges of attempted murder and arson, which carry extremely heavy penalties under Georgia law.
Given his prior conviction for aggravated stalking and his probation status at the time the fire was set, legal experts say he faces a compounded penalty if convicted—potentially life in prison or decades behind bars. Until then, the mother and child who escaped are safe but traumatized, and residents of that neighborhood remain shaken by just how close the attack came to causing grave harm. This case stands out not just because of the fire, but because it marks the terrifying progression from stalking to violent attack. A man who once harassed climbed on a car hood, then escalated to setting a house ablaze with its occupants inside. The charges reflect that leap, and if the courts follow through, the sentence may reflect the same.
