David Ortega

Name:
Ortega, David Misael

Date of Booking:
12/23/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
Driving without a Valid License (Misdemeanor)

Hit and Run with (nonserious) injury and/or damage

Following Too Closely

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]

December 23, 2025, at approximately 0742 hours, I, Deputy Brito, responded “Code 1” to a Hit and Run in the area of Christmas Ave and University Pkwy.

Upon arrival, I spoke with [VICTIM #1], the driver of the other vehicle involved in the accident. She advised that while she was sitting at the intersection of Christmas Ave and University Pkwy, she was hit from behind by a Blue Honda SUV. After the vehicle hit hers, it passed on her passenger side and made a U-turn in the middle of the intersection and left the area without making contact with her. She stated that when the vehicle was making the U-turn, she saw the driver appear to be a white male with shoulder-length hair and possibly in his twenties.

I then completed a search through Flock and located a vehicle that matched the description in the area approximately ten minutes after the accident. I was able to obtain the tag plate number of [REDACTED], which returned to a [REDACTED] to a 2007 Honda Element. I made contact with witness [WITNESS #1], who advised the vehicle in front of him was being driven by a male, and once at the intersection of Christmas Ave and University Pkwy, it rear-ended V2 and then made a U-turn and left the area by turning left onto Gifton Thomas Rd.

I then attempted contact with [REDACTED] by calling the phone number on the GCIC return for his driver’s license. I was able to speak with [REDACTED]. She advised that the vehicle actually belonged to David Ortega and that her son, [REDACTED], was at work and would not have been driving the vehicle. She advised the vehicle could be located at [1300 BLOCK] Loganville Hwy. I asked [REDACTED] if David had long, shoulder-length hair, and she advised yes.

When units arrived at [1300 BLOCK] Loganville Hwy, we located the vehicle but not the driver. A short period of time later, [REDACTED] arrived on scene, advising that he was the driver of the vehicle. He advised that he just panicked after hitting the vehicle and left the area. I asked [REDACTED] what direction he took from the crash, and he advised just straight to this location. I asked him if he had turned left onto Gifton Thomas Rd, and he advised no. I noticed [REDACTED] had on a hat, which I asked him to remove. I noticed [REDACTED] had short hair.

At this time, I advised [REDACTED] that I knew he was not the driver of the vehicle due to his short hair and him not knowing the direction the vehicle had left the scene in. I advised him I was placing him under arrest for obstruction, and he paused for a moment and advised that he was doing it because David Ortega was his good friend, he did not have a license, and was in the US illegally. He explained that David was scared to be deported.

I advised [REDACTED] that if he could get David Ortega back to this location, I would not arrest him for Obstruction. A short period of time later, David arrived on scene and advised that he was the one driving the vehicle in the Hit and Run. He advised that he left because he had no license and was illegal. I advised David that he was now under arrest for Hit and Run, Following Too Closely, and Driving without a Valid License.

David Ortega was handcuffed behind his back, and the handcuffs were checked for proper fit and double locked. He was searched incident to arrest with negative results. He was transported to the Barrow County Detention Center and turned over to jail staff. He was issued the following citations. #139442 for OCGA 40-6-270(a) for Hit and Run, #139443 for OCGA 40-6-49(a) Following too Closely, and #139444 for OCGA 40-5-20 Driving Without a Valid License.

[End of Narrative]