Arrest made in connection to crash that killed Georgia State Patrol trooper in Gwinnett County

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — An arrest has been made after a Georgia State Patrol trooper died in the line of duty earlier this week.

Trooper Jimmy Cenescar was trying to stop a motorcycle for a traffic violation on Interstate 85 North near Old Peachtree Road on Sunday. GSP says Cenescar’s patrol car left the roadway during a pursuit and hit an embankment. He died at Northside Gwinnett Hospital.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

GSP announced on Friday that Gerson Ayala Rodriguez was arrested in Norcross by troopers and the Gwinnett County Police Department.

Ayala Rodriguez is being charged with felony murder, first-degree homicide, fleeing and attempting to elude and other traffic charges.

Gov. Brian Kemp issued a statement on Friday saying that he was “thankful for the tireless work” of investigators.

TRENDING STORIES:

• Fulton DA, special prosecutor admit to relationship, call motion to disqualify ‘meritless’
• Man pleads guilty in triple murder at Cobb golf course and country club, avoids death penalty
• Hand over heart, Biden joins grieving families of GA troops killed in Jordan as remains return home

Cenescar had been with the Georgia Department of Public Safety since January 2023 and was a graduate of the 114th Trooper School. He spent three years with the Atlanta Police Department before then.

The family will be at the Crowell Brothers Funeral Home off Peachtree Industrial Boulevard from 4:00 p.m. to 9 p.m. that Thursday. The funeral will be held that Friday at 11 a.m. at Mount Paran Church.

Ayala Rodriguez is being held in the Gwinnett County Jail.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

IN RELATED NEWS:

Georgia State Trooper killed in the line of duty identified

©2023 Cox Media Group