Clay County Sheriff’s Office released video of the moment deputies captured a man accused of dragging a jogger into the woods and trying to rip her clothes off.
One of the more bizarre moments in the video occurred after deputies placed the suspect, Jayson Thomas, 22, in handcuffs. The deputy took a photo of Thomas, who was dressed in a grey hoodie and Christmas pajama pants covered in snowflakes with the words ‘Ho Ho Ho.’
“Look at me,” the deputy said holding his cellphone up to the suspect. Thomas complied and the deputy took his photo. “Awesome,” the deputy said.
A few seconds later as the deputy talked with other investigators on the scene, Thomas interrupts asking, “Can we retake the picture?” and then flashes a wide toothy smile.
“I wouldn’t smile. You let a 60-year-old man run you down,” the deputy says.
Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook said a woman jogging in Middleburg in the Two Creeks area had to fight Thomas off of her after she ran past him. It happened at about 10 a.m. along Tynes Boulevard.
The suspect grabbed the woman from behind and pulled her into nearby woods, the sheriff said adding that he threw her down and began forcibly removing her clothes.
The woman fought him off, escaped and ran to a nearby home, where residents called 911. Tynes Elementary School was placed on a hold as a precaution while deputies searched for the suspect.
Thomas remained in Clay County jail Thursday morning on no bond charged with kidnapping, attempted sexual battery, burglary, and resisting arrest.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
