Georgia State Trooper Murder Suspect Denied Bond After Fatal Car Chase

Suspect Denied Bond in Georgia Trooper's Death

The suspect charged with murder in the death of Georgia state trooper Jimmy Cenescarduring a vehicular pursuit has been denied bond. Gerson Ayala Rodriguez was arrested and charged with felony murder, first-degree homicide, felony fleeing and attempting to elude, and reckless driving after Cenescar's cruiser left Interstate 85 and struck an embankment in Suwanee, a north Atlanta suburb, on Jan. 28. The pursuit was initiated after Cenescar attempted to stop a motorcycle for a traffic violation, which then fled, prompting the trooper to give chase.

Details of the Incident

Authorities discovered that the motorcycle driven by Rodriguez had "split" two lanes in an attempt to escape, leading Cenescar to swerve to avoid other cars and ultimately crash his vehicle into trees and drainage rocks after veering off the roadway and down an embankment. Despite being taken to a suburban hospital, Cenescar succumbed to his injuries.

Governor's Response

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp described the arrest as a "step toward justice for one of Georgia’s fallen heroes" in a statement on social media. Cenescar, who had graduated from trooper school in September and joined the Department of Public Safety in January 2023, had previously been recognized for saving a man’s life in October 2021. On that occasion, Cenescar had driven his car through a locked gate to reach a man who had driven off an Atlanta bridge and rendered first aid.