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Jason Matheson is escorted by Sheriff Kenneth Henderson of Towns County.
A local man accused of shooting his estranged wife multiple times has pleaded not guilty to the charges related to the incident.
An attorney with the Enotah Judicial Circuit Public Defender’s Office entered the plea on behalf of Jason Matheson, 41, during his arraignment on April 22 at the Towns County Courthouse in Hiawassee, Ga.
Matheson chose not to appear at the proceeding, Towns County Chief Deputy Gene Moss confirmed.
Matheson faces up to 40 years in prison from felony charges of criminal attempt to commit murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated stalking. The charges stem from the Jan. 26 shooting of Crystal Dawn Matheson in her workplace at Chatuge Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinic in Hiawassee. Jason Matheson allegedly entered the facility and shot his estranged wife eight times using a 9mm handgun.
Crystal Matheson, who is from Clay County, survived the shooting and is recovering. As of Wednesday, a Go Fund Me account set up on her behalf had raised $11,490 of its $15,000 goal.
Jason Matheson was arrested without incident by the members of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office on Jan. 26 at his father’s home on Matheson Cove Road in Clay County. Matheson is currently being held without bond at the Towns County Jail. He previously lived on Carter Cove Road in Clay County, but now has a Young Harris, Ga. address.
Crystal Matheson had a protective order in place against her husband at the time of the shooting. Jason Matheson was previously arrested in July 2020 in Clay County for assaulting her by strangulation. He was arrested again in October for violating that protective order.
The court will now set a trial date for the case. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is the lead agency in the case.