Search on for North Carolina man accused of assaulting MS Coast hotel employee

Jackson County sheriff’s investigators are searching for a man accused of assaulting a St. Martin hotel manager at gunpoint and also threatening his employees.

Deputies were called to the Red Roof Inn on Cook Road about 6:30 p.m. on Monday, according to a sheriff department’s press release.

John McGraw, 58, of North Carolina, accused the hotel employees of locking him out of his room when his bedroom key would not work.

Once deputies arrived, they were told McGraw was in his room but he refused to make contact with deputies, leading to the Emergency Services Unit being activated.

The deputies eventually entered McGraw’s room and he was not there.

Sheriff Mike Ezell says McGraw has previous assault charges in Indiana and, once in custody, he faces aggravated assault charges.

This story was originally published May 25, 2021 at 6:01 PM.