A 15-year-old boy has been charged as an adult with murder in the shooting death of an Uber driver in Lawrenceville, Georgia, on New Year’s Day, authorities say.
The victim has been identified as 58-year-old Cesar Tejada, a husband and father of two from Grayson, Georgia, who was working an early-morning shift when he was killed.
According to People.com, the Lawrenceville Police Department officers were called to the 600 block of Groveland Parkway at about 5:20 a.m. on Jan. 1 after receiving reports of an unresponsive man lying in the roadway.
When police arrived, they found Tejada suffering from at least one gunshot wound and pronounced him dead at the scene.
Investigators used FLOCK license-plate camera technology and Uber trip data to reconstruct Tejada’s final moments, determining that he had picked up the suspect later identified as Christian Simmons at around 4:13 a.m. on Rangewood Drive in Lilburn. The ride then continued to the Groveland Parkway area.
Police allege that when the vehicle arrived at its destination, the 15-year-old exited the back seat, approached the driver’s side, and shot Tejada, then pushed his body out of the car before fleeing the scene. Authorities believe the attack was likely motivated by an attempt to steal the vehicle, as there was no evidence of a dispute or prior altercation between the two.
Tejada’s vehicle was later found near the original pickup location, and Simmons was taken into custody nearby without incident. Police say Simmons has a juvenile criminal history and is now being prosecuted as an adult.
In a statement released to the media, Uber said it was “saddened by this devastating loss” and expressed condolences to the victim’s family, adding that it has banned the rider account associated with the incident and is assisting law enforcement with the ongoing investigation.
Friends and family members have remembered Tejada as a dedicated provider who was working to support his loved ones when the senseless act occurred. A GoFundMe page organised by his wife, Evelyn Tejada Tatis, to help with funeral and family expenses has drawn community support.
