GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. – A man facing charges in the death of a Georgia State Patrol trooper during a traffic stop made his first court appearance over the weekend. Gerson Rodriguez appeared in Gwinnett County magistrate’s court, where he was denied bond. He is facing several charges, including felony murder, in connection with the death of GSP Trooper Jimmy Cenescar.
Cenescar died after a crash on Jan. 28 while attempting to stop a motorcycle for a traffic violation on Interstate 85. His vehicle left the road and struck an embankment. Despite attempts by emergency personnel to save him, he passed away at Northside Gwinnett Hospital.
Rodriguez, identified as the suspect, was arrested on Feb. 2 in Norcross. He also faces charges of first-degree homicide, felony fleeing, and attempting to elude law enforcement. He was denied bond and is being held at the Gwinnett County Jail.
Funeral arrangements for Trooper Cenescar include visitation hours at Crowell Brothers Funeral Home on Thursday, Feb. 8, and a funeral service at Mount Paran Church on Friday, Feb. 9, followed by a burial at Mount Harmony Memorial Gardens.
Cenescar, who had been employed as a trooper since January 2023, was a graduate of the 114th Trooper School. He previously served as an officer with the Atlanta Police Department and was credited with saving a man’s life in October 2021.
The community is mourning his loss, and the funeral services are an opportunity for family, friends, and colleagues to pay their respects and remember his dedicated service. The denial of bond for Rodriguez indicates the seriousness of the charges he is facing, and the case has garnered significant attention in Gwinnett County as a result of the tragedy.