The new year began with a chilling discovery in Lawrenceville, Georgia – a community reeling from a senseless act of violence. A man lay wounded in the roadway, the first moments of 2024 marked by tragedy and loss.
The victim was identified as Cesar Tejada, a 58-year-old father of two from Grayson, Georgia. He wasn’t celebrating with family; he was working, providing for his loved ones as an Uber driver when his life was brutally cut short.
Police responded to the scene shortly after 5:20 a.m. on January 1st, finding Tejada suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite immediate efforts, he was pronounced dead at the roadside, leaving behind a family plunged into unimaginable grief.
Investigators quickly pieced together the horrifying sequence of events. Tejada had picked up a passenger around 4:13 a.m., driving him to Groveland Parkway. It was there, in the quiet of the early morning, that the passenger betrayed his trust in the most devastating way.
Exiting the back seat, the passenger allegedly shot Tejada, leaving him for dead in the street before fleeing the scene. The act was swift, calculated, and robbed a family of their husband and father.
Detectives, utilizing FLOCK camera technology and collaborating with Uber, meticulously tracked Tejada’s vehicle back to its origin point. This crucial evidence led them closer to identifying the perpetrator.
The suspect, identified as 15-year-old Christian Simmons, was apprehended near his residence, observed walking along the roadway. The weight of the charges – murder – is immense, and he is being prosecuted as an adult.
The Lawrenceville Police Department extended their deepest condolences to Tejada’s family, acknowledging the profound loss felt by a wife and two children. The investigation continues, seeking to understand the motive behind this senseless crime.
This tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the risks faced by those who work to provide for their families, and the fragility of life. The community mourns the loss of Cesar Tejada, a husband, a father, and a man whose life was stolen too soon.
