MABEN – A Webster County man faces charges in two states after he allegedly shot his former boss with a crossbow at a convenience store Tuesday and fled to Arkansas.

Jonathon Frost is accused of shooting the male victim at about 5:20 a.m. at the store at 1922 Hwy 15 S. in Maben, according to an Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Office press release. He was arrested nearly six hours later outside McGehee in eastern Arkansas.

The victim, who was wounded in “the body,” received life-saving treatment at the scene from Maben volunteer firefighters and MedStat ambulance personnel before being airlifted to a hospital for further treatment, the press release said. He is in serious but stable condition.

Capt. Brett Watson with OCSO told The Dispatch investigators believe Frost once worked for the victim, but so far deputies have not uncovered a motive for the shooting or an explanation for why the suspect used a crossbow.

“I can safely tell you that’s the first time in 35 years I’ve heard of such a thing, at least around here anyway,” Watson said.

Deputies obtained a description of Frost’s vehicle and “a tip … of where he might have been headed,” Watson said. Then OCSO began coordinating with jurisdictions along that route.

An officer identified the vehicle and stopped Frost in McGehee, about 160 miles west of Maben.

McGehee Police Chief Terry Donaldson told The Dispatch Frost fled the traffic stop and led authorities on a chase 10 to 15 miles south of town, where one of his officers crashed into Frost’s vehicle. Frost then ran on foot into a field, where he was caught and arrested.

Watson told The Dispatch that Oktibbeha County issued a warrant for aggravated assault in the case, but that could change. Donaldson said his department plans to charge him with fleeing.

“He’s definitely catching a fleeing charge,” Donaldson told The Dispatch. “I’ve got a totaled-out unit.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, Frost was being held in the McGehee jail awaiting Oktibbeha County investigators. From there, Watson said the two jurisdictions would work out the extradition process.

The OCSO press release also credited Desha County Central Dispatch, Dumas and Dermott police departments, all in Arkansas, as well as Arkansas and Louisiana State Police and Mississippi Highway Patrol for assisting in the case.

Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.