Esteven Gonzales

Name:
Gonzales, Esteven Vargas

Date of Booking:
02/21/2026

Reason(s) For Booking:
HIT AND RUN; DUTY OF DRIVER TO STOP AT OR RETURN TO SCENE OF ACCIDENT

Driving Under Influence of Alcohol

DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED OR REVOKED (MISDEMEANOR)

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.]

[NARRATIVE #1 on February 21, 2026]

On February 21, 2026 at approximately 0120 hours, I was sitting in a driveway when I heard a horn going off in the area of the Shannon village. I did begin to search the area as the horn was an abnormality for the area. After several moments, I was able to locate the vehicle at approximately 0129. The vehicle did collide with a fence located at First Street and Avenue B. While approaching the vehicle, I observed there was no one in the vehicle.

I began to look around the vehicle and ran the license plate through dispatch. I had a female, [WITNESS #1], run up to my location and advise me that she saw a heavier set male exit the vehicle and walk south on First Street where he turned west onto Avenue C. As I called for the on-call tow service, I did enter my vehicle again and went to locate the driver/owner. As I was on Second Street, I was advised by Dispatch that the registered owner has an address of [200 BLOCK] 3rd Street in Shannon. I recognized this address as someone I have had dealings with in the past.

I did arrive at [200 BLOCK] 3rd Street shortly after and I observed the male, Esteven Gonzales, trying to open the door to his house. Esteven was clearly unstable on his feet and was swaying badly from side to side. I told Esteven to come to me, but he ignored my command and opened his house door. Due to this, I did approach him and grabbed him by his left forearm in order to keep him there and not allowing him to go inside. His dog did exit the residence and I did allow him to get the dog back inside.

Esteven then put a padlock back on his door. At that point, I began to speak with Esteven about the collision. Esteven stated he did not crash his car and that he was home. Esteven stated that he did not know what I was talking about even after I asked him about the female that followed him for a short distance and saw him exit the vehicle. While speaking, Esteven exhibited thick, slurred speech, confusion, and also has slowed, sluggish reactions (as seen when he was trying to unlock/lock his padlock). Due to this, I did place Esteven under arrest for DUI Less Safe, Hit and Run, and driving on revoked license.

I did transport Esteven to my patrol vehicle where I did a search of his person. It was at this time that I found out that Esteven urinated on himself. Esteven stated he did that while he was walking home. Esteven also asked if he could place a phone call to which I stated he could, but I needed his phone. Esteven stated that the phone was in the car. I did drive Esteven back to the collision site. It was at this time that PFC Surrett and Officer Talley arrived on scene to assist.

I did read Esteven implied consent for blood to which he refused. I did ask PFC Surrett if they would be willing to transport Esteven to the hospital and jail for me, but Lt. Pendley advised PFC Surrett they could only do that only if they took the case. Being as it was time for me to clock out, I gave the case over to PFC Surrett and Officer Talley.

I did leave the location and spoke with [WITNESS #1]. [WITNESS #1] advised that she was sitting on her porch when she heard the collision. [WITNESS #1] stated she quickly got on some clothes and a pair of shoes then ran to where the collision occurred. [WITNESS #1] stated that as she got there, she saw Esteven sitting in the passenger seat looking dazed and confused. [WITNESS #1] did state there was no one else around the vehicle.

[WITNESS #1] went on to state that she opened the door and attempted to ask if he was okay. However, Esteven stated to [WITNESS #1] that he needed to go find his dog. [WITNESS #1] stated that Esteven then exited the vehicle and began walking south on First Street. [WITNESS #1] stated that Estevan turned onto Avenue C and that was when she went inside to retrieve her phone to call 911, but that was also the time I was pulling onto the scene.

[WITNESS #1] did state that the vehicle smelled “unwashed” and that is smelled as if Esteven did urinate himself. I went back to Officer Talley and advised her of what [WITNESS #1] stated. The scene was turned over to Officer Talley and PFC Surrett at that time.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #2 on February 21, 2026]

On the above date and time Pfc Surrett and I responded to a wreck on 1st St in Shannon. When we arrived on scene there was a Ford Fiesta that had wrecked and was almost all the way off the road. The car had went off the road hitting a yield sign and wrecking into a fence knocking it over. Ofc Stanfield was already on scene and had Esteven Gonzales in custody. [WITNESS #1] was on scene and she stated she heard the car horn going off and she stepped out to see what was going on and she saw Esteven exiting the vehicle and walking away from the car.

[WITNESS #1] stated Esteven was stumbling all over the road and when she asked him if he was okay he stated he needed to find his dog. Ofc Stanfield got Esteven out of his patrol car and placed him in our vehicle so that we could take him to Atrium Floyd to be cleared and to jail. When Esteven was getting out of the partol car I noticed that Esteven had peed his pants. Esteven also had black residue on his shirt which could have been from the air bags when they deployed when he wrecked. When we placed Esteven in the patrol car I could smell a strong odor of alcohol coming from him.

Esteven stated multiple times that he refused any kind of testing and wanted us to go ahead and take him to jail. While waiting for the wrecker a vehicle arrived at the scene and a female got out of the car and she stated Esteven was her husband, but that they were “separated for this exact reason.”

Once we left the scene we transported Esteven to Atrium Floyd to be medically cleared due to him being in a wreck. Once we got to the hospital we got Esteven out of the car and he was stumbling as we were walking into the ER. Once we got into a room Esteven continued to tell the nurses and doctor that he was refusing everything. While waiting on the doctor Esteven fell asleep. Esteven was medically cleared and transported to the Floyd County jail to be booked in.

Back seat was checked before and after transport.

[End of Narrative]