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Name:
Alvarado-Rivera, Erick F
Date of Booking:
06/16/2026
Reason(s) For Booking:
DUI – ALCOHOL LESS SAFE
FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE
OPEN CONTAINER
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.]
On 6/16/2026 at 0120 hours, I Sgt. Joshua Bogun was patrolling the area of 5th St SE when a Silver in color Jeep Liberty bearing GA tag [REDACTED] passed me and was failing to maintain their lane of travel. I conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle in the area of 5th St SE & 6th Ave SE. I exited my patrol vehicle and made contact with the driver of the vehicle Eric Alvarado-Rivera.
Upon speaking to Erick I could immediately smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Erick’s person. I received Erick’s drivers license and returned to my patrol vehicle to enter Erick’s information into the GCIC system. The return stated that Erick had a valid Georgia drivers license. I returned to the vehicle and asked Erick if he had been drinking Erick stated no. At this time I saw an open Miller Light beer can between the driver and passenger seat and a cold open twelve pack of Miller Light with three missing beers. I asked Erick to exit the vehicle and to stand in front of my patrol vehicle. Upon walking to my patrol vehicle Erick had an unsteady gate.
While in front of my patrol vehicle I could see that Erick’s eyes were bloodshot and glassy. Erick advised that he had peed on himself. I asked Erick again if he had been drinking this time he stated yes. I asked Erick about how much he had to drink in the last couple hours, Erick stated about six beers. I asked Erick he would allow myself to conduct some standardized field sobriety test, Erick stated yes he would conduct the test’s.
The first test I conducted was the horizontal gaze nystagmus test. Upon completion of test I saw six out of six clues. I then tried to conduct the walk and turn test. I had Eric stand on the fog line where Erick was having trouble standing. Due to Erick’s safety I would not allow him to finish the test.
I asked Erick if I could get a roadside sample of his breath, Erick stated yes. Upon completion of the PBT test Erick tested positive for alcohol. At this time implied consent over 21 was read to Erick, Erick stated that he would give a sample of his breath. At this time Eric was placed in hand restraints behind the back and placed in Dep. Velasquez patrol vehicle. Erick was transported to the Grady County Jail without incident. Erick’s vehicle was turned over to Singletarys towing.
Upon arrival to the jail Dep. Velasquez attempted to conduct the breath test on Eric but Eric would not follow instructions. Dep. Velasquez read Erick implied consent over 21 and asked for blood. Erick no and refused to conduct anymore testing. Erick was booked for DUI less safe, Failure to maintain lane and open container. Erick was turned over to jail staff without incident. This concludes my report in reference to this incident.
[End of Narrative]
All information is sourced directly from the official, public court database. Case history is organized and curated by The Georgia Gazette staff. The “What this means:” explanations are written by AI and reviewed by our staff before publishing.
Court records are subject to change at the court’s discretion. The Georgia Gazette is not responsible for errors or omissions. Nothing here is legal advice. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Case History:
7/21/26
DEFENSE ATTORNEY ENTERS APPEARANCE — RIGHTS TO REMAIN SILENT AND TO COUNSEL ASSERTED
What this means: Attorney Chris E. Ambrose of Silvis, Ambrose, Lindquist & Coch, P.C. in Thomasville, Georgia formally entered his appearance in Grady County State Court on July 21, 2026 (signed July 16, 2026) on behalf of Erick Alvardo-Rivera in case numbers 26-TR-2251 and 26-TR-2253. Along with the entry of appearance, Ambrose filed a formal notice asserting Alvardo-Rivera’s Fifth Amendment right to remain silent and Sixth Amendment right to counsel. This means law enforcement may not question Erick Alvardo-Rivera without his attorney present, and all interrogation must stop unless the defendant himself re-initiates contact with law enforcement.
7/21/26
WAIVER OF ARRAIGNMENT AND PLEA OF NOT GUILTY ENTERED
What this means: Erick Alvardo-Rivera, through his attorney Chris E. Ambrose, waived his right to a formal arraignment hearing in Grady County State Court on July 21, 2026 (signed July 16, 2026). In place of appearing in court for the arraignment, the defendant entered a written plea of not guilty to all charges in case numbers 26-TR-2251 and 26-TR-2253. Alvardo-Rivera also demanded a bench trial — meaning the case would be decided by a judge rather than a jury — and acknowledged that the trial is set for 1:30 p.m. at the Grady County Courthouse in Cairo, Georgia, with the specific date to be determined. Pre-trial motions were to be filed within the time set by the court.
7/21/26
DEFENSE FILES MOTION FOR DISCOVERY
What this means: Attorney Chris E. Ambrose filed a Motion for Discovery in Grady County State Court on July 21, 2026 (signed July 16, 2026) on behalf of Erick Alvardo-Rivera in case numbers 26-TR-2251 and 26-TR-2253. This motion asks the court to require the State to turn over any and all evidence that could help the defense before trial. Specifically, the defense is requesting witness statements, written reports, physical evidence, chemical and scientific test results, any video or audio recordings made during the arrest or testing, information about implied consent warnings given or not given to Alvardo-Rivera, and any other evidence favorable to the defendant. Under Georgia law, the prosecution is required to disclose evidence that could tend to show the defendant’s innocence.
7/21/26
DEFENSE FILES MOTION TO REQUIRE PRODUCTION OF EXCULPATORY EVIDENCE
What this means: Separately from the general discovery motion, attorney Chris E. Ambrose filed a standalone Motion to Require Production of Exculpatory Evidence on July 21, 2026 (signed July 16, 2026) on behalf of Erick Alvardo-Rivera in case numbers 26-TR-2251 and 26-TR-2253. This motion specifically invokes the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Brady v. Maryland, which requires prosecutors to hand over any evidence in their possession that could tend to show the defendant is not guilty. The defense is asking the court to order the State to disclose all such evidence before trial.
7/21/26
DEFENSE FILES MOTION FOR COPY OF SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
What this means: Attorney Chris E. Ambrose filed a Motion for Copy of Scientific Reports in Grady County State Court on July 21, 2026 (signed July 16, 2026) on behalf of Erick Alvardo-Rivera in case numbers 26-TR-2251 and 26-TR-2253. Under Georgia law, a defendant is entitled to receive copies of any scientific reports the State plans to use at trial at least ten days before the trial begins. The defense is asking the court to enforce that right. If the prosecution fails to provide the reports in time, the motion asks that those reports and any testimony based on them be excluded from the trial entirely.
7/21/26
DEFENSE FILES OMNIBUS DISCOVERY MOTION
What this means: Attorney Chris E. Ambrose filed an Omnibus Discovery Motion in Grady County State Court on July 21, 2026 (signed July 16, 2026) on behalf of Erick Alvardo-Rivera in case numbers 26-TR-2251 and 26-TR-2253. An omnibus discovery motion is a broad, catch-all request asking the court to direct the State to comply with all of Georgia’s discovery laws — in this case, O.C.G.A. § 17-16-1 and related statutes. This motion works alongside the other discovery filings to ensure the defense receives the full range of evidence and information it is entitled to before trial.
7/21/26
DEFENSE FILES MOTION IN LIMINE AND MOTION TO SUPPRESS
What this means: Attorney Chris E. Ambrose filed a combined Motion in Limine and Motion to Suppress in Grady County State Court on July 21, 2026 (signed July 16, 2026) on behalf of Erick Alvardo-Rivera in case numbers 26-TR-2251 and 26-TR-2253. A motion in limine asks the judge to prohibit certain evidence from being mentioned or introduced at trial. A motion to suppress asks the court to throw out evidence obtained in violation of the defendant’s constitutional rights. The defense challenges the lawfulness of the traffic stop, the arrest, field sobriety tests, breath and blood test results, any statements Alvardo-Rivera made to police, and other evidence. The defense argues that many of these tests were improperly administered, that the implied consent notice was defective, that Alvardo-Rivera was not read his Miranda rights before questioning, and that scientific evidence in the case does not meet accepted standards of reliability. The court has not yet ruled on these motions.
7/21/26
DEFENSE FILES MOTION TO EXCLUDE OR SUPPRESS BASED ON CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATIONS — BREATH TEST REFUSAL
What this means: Attorney Chris E. Ambrose filed a separate Motion to Exclude or Suppress in Grady County State Court on July 21, 2026 (signed July 16, 2026) on behalf of Erick Alvardo-Rivera in case numbers 26-TR-2251 and 26-TR-2253. This motion focuses specifically on the implied consent notice read to Alvardo-Rivera at the time of arrest and any evidence related to his alleged refusal to submit to a breath test. The defense argues that the implied consent notice — which tells a driver that refusing a breath test can be used against them in court — is constitutionally defective and misleading, and that evidence of any refusal cannot be used against the defendant at trial.
7/21/26
DEFENSE FILES DAUBERT MOTION CHALLENGING SCIENTIFIC RELIABILITY OF DUI TESTS
What this means: Attorney Chris E. Ambrose filed a Daubert Motion in Grady County State Court on July 21, 2026 (signed July 16, 2026) on behalf of Erick Alvardo-Rivera in case numbers 26-TR-2251 and 26-TR-2253. A Daubert motion challenges whether scientific evidence meets the legal standard for reliability and admissibility in court. The defense is specifically challenging the scientific validity and reliability of standardized field sobriety tests (SFSTs) used in DUI cases. The defense argues that these tests do not meet accepted scientific standards and should be excluded from trial unless the State can prove they are reliable through proper expert testimony and scientific methodology.