CAIRO — A federal fugitive is back in custody after leading law enforcement on a lengthy search throughout Wednesday night and into Thursday morning.

Agents with the Grady County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit were informed Wednesday that Michael Blaine Oliver, wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant with the U.S. Marshals Service owing to a federal probation violation, was en route to Grady County. Agents located Oliver’s vehicle near Spence at around 9:30 p.m., and the fugitive then led police on a brief vehicle pursuit.

Oliver reached Gilliard Road before abandoning his vehicle and attempting to flee on foot into the nearby woods. A search team consisting of Grady County deputies, Georgia State Patrol troopers, Georgia State Patrol Aviation and the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office SWAT unit proceeded to search for Oliver throughout the night. Deputies responded to several 911 calls throughout the night from citizens who had seen Oliver.

“We were tracking him all through the night through the woods,” said Chris Luckey, Drug Unit commander.

The fugitive was finally spotted from an alert resident walking down Highway 93 North just before 9 a.m. Thursday. Two deputies responded to the scene and took Oliver into custody without further incident.

Oliver was transported to the Grady County Detention Center and then turned over to U.S. Marshals on Thursday afternoon.