Jamiesfeast – The Georgia Department of Public Safety said that a biker who ran away from a state trooper and then crashed on I-85 has been charged with murder.
The state patrol and Gwinnett County police both detained Gerson Ayala Rodriguez on Friday in Norcross, according to Col. William Hitchens, commissioner of the DPS. Hitchens said the suspect was also charged with trying to escape, fleeing, and speeding, as well as other traffic crimes.
“Since the event, DPS and our law enforcement partners have worked nonstop to investigate the events that led to the fatal crash,” Hitchens said in a video shared on social media.
Investigators say the crash happened on I-85 near Old Peachtree Road on Sunday afternoon when Trooper Jimmy Cenescar, 28, was trying to stop the motorbike for a traffic violation.
A summary report from the DPS says the motorcyclist tried to get away by driving through two lanes of traffic instead of stopping.
Investigators say that Cenescar lost control of his Dodge Charger, and it hit a fence, a DOT sign, a sloped area, several trees, and big rocks that drain water before hitting a retaining wall. Getting him out of the wreckage was hard, and he was taken to Northside Gwinnett Hospital, but he died there from his injuries. The report says the policeman had his lap and shoulder belts on.
Criminal detectives say Rodriguez kept going north and did not stop.
According to the Cop Down Memorial Page, which keeps track of police deaths, Cenescar was the fifth cop to die in the line of duty across the country in 2024. Two of them were from Georgia.
The DPS said Cenescar had worked for them since January 2023 and was a member of the 114th trooper school. Earlier, he worked for the Atlanta cops.
Atlanta police said after the accident that he saved the life of a driver who fell and drove off a bridge on Marietta Road and Thomas Street in October 2021.
On Thursday, Atlanta police posted memories of Cenescar on Facebook. The posts included pictures of the retired officer comforting a baby while they waited for family.
The post from the department said, “As we think about Jimmy’s life and service, let’s honor his memory by continuing to uphold the values he held dear.” “He wasn’t just a police officer; he was a light of hope and a real credit to the job.”
“Jimmy Cenescar, rest in peace.” People who knew you will always remember you.
Along with the trooper, his family, and his coworkers, Gov. Brian Kemp and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens sent their respects.
Crowell Brothers Funeral Home in Peachtree Corners will be open for visits on February 8 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., according to the DPS. Mount Paran Church in Atlanta will hold the funeral on February 9 at 11 a.m., and the body will be buried at Mount Harmony Memorial Gardens in Mableton.
According to Senescar’s online obituary, he has four brothers, a sister, and his fiancรฉe left behind. According to Georgia Gwinnett College, he was also a student there and was on track to finish in the spring.