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Name:
Mondragon, Carlos
Date of Booking:
02/27/2026
Reason(s) For Booking:
HIT AND RUN; DUTY OF DRIVER TO STOP AT OR RETURN TO SCENE OF ACCIDENT
AGGRESSIVE DRIVING
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 February 27th, 2026, at around 4:50 pm, I was dispatched to the Lowes Home Improvement located at 1851 Epps Bridge Parkway regarding a hit-and-run. The victim reported that he was hit by the driver of a gray Honda Accord GA tag [REDACTED]. The driver of the Accord fled and was last seen on Oconee Connector near Epps Bridge Parkway.
While on the way, I put the Accord in the hotlist from Flock and I received a notification that the Accord was leaving the parking lot of 1791 Oconee Connector heading towards the Inner Loop. The registered owner of the Accord lived off of Hwy 29 on the north side of Athens, so I believed he was heading that way. I was able to catch up to the Accord on the Inner Loop inside of Athens-Clarke County as we approached the Tallassee Road exit. I stopped the Accord where I spoke with the registered owner, Carlos Mondragon-Rosales. He was the sole occupant and driver. I had Mondragon-Rosales get out of the Accord, and we spoke about the crash.
Mondragon-Rosales told me that he was involved in a crash with another vehicle that changed lanes into his lane. He was on Oconee Connector approaching University Parkway when the victim changed lanes into him. After the crash, he did not stop and continued driving down Epps Bridge and continuing to Jim N’ Nicks to pick up a Door Dash order. Mondragon-Rosales did not believe it was a big deal and that the damage was very minor, so he was not worried about it. Mondragon-Rosales believed if it had been important, the victim would have continued following him.
I placed Mondragon-Rosales under arrest for hit-and-run, and I had him sit in the backseat of my patrol car. I had the victim meet with me on the Inner Loop. When he arrived, he told me that he was driving his silver Tesla Cybertruck GA tag [REDACTED] on Oconee Connector when he began to change lanes. The driver of the Accord accelerated forward and their cars hit. After the crash, the driver of the Accord drove around him and then brake checked him. The driver of the Accord flipped off the victim and then drove away. The victim initially followed the Accord, but stopped after talking to the 9-1-1 operator.
The victim provided me video footage from his Cybertruck which showed the collision and Mondragon-Rosales flipping off the victim. I saw the driver of the Accord was in the right lane and the victim was just ahead of him in the left lane. The victim began changing lanes when Mondragon-Rosales accelerated to block the victim from changing lanes. Mondragon-Rosales did not slow or stop and continued driving alongside the victim’s Cybertruck until the right rear of the Cybertruck collided with the left side of the Honda.
Mondragon-Rosales drove around the victim and got in front of him. They were in the keep moving lane turning onto eastbound University Parkway when Mondragon-Rosales stopped in front of the victim. I saw Mondragon-Rosales raise his right hand and flip the victim off before taking off.
I took photographs of the damage to the victim’s Cybertruck and Mondragon-Rosales’ Accord. These photographs have been attached to this report.
I read Mondragon-Rosales the Miranda Advisement and he understood his rights. When I confronted Mondragon-Rosales about him flipping off the victim, he told me that he was being “stupid.” At Mondragon-Rosales’ request, his Accord was turned over to his friend. I transported Mondragon-Rosales to the Oconee County Jail where he was booked in. I issued him citations for hit-and-run and aggressive driving.
[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:
5/21/26
OCONEE COUNTY PROBATE COURT ORDERS CASE BOUND OVER TO SUPERIOR COURT
What this means: The Oconee County Probate Court issued an Order for Bind Over, transferring Carlos Daniel Mondragon-Rosales’s case to the Superior Court of Oconee County. This means the Probate Court determined the case should be handled at the Superior Court level. The order references case number 2026T23511 in the Probate Court, with charges listed as Aggressive Driving and Hit and Run. The defendant’s attorney is noted on the order. Carlos Daniel Mondragon-Rosales was ordered to appear for arraignment as directed by the Superior Court Clerk.
5/21/26
CASH BOND SET — CARLOS MONDRAGON RELEASED ON $1,666.00 BOND
What this means: An Appearance Bond Contract was executed in Oconee County Probate Court, setting a cash bond of $1,666.00 for Carlos Mondragon. This allowed him to be released from custody while his case moves forward. The bond was signed on February 27, 2026, and the bondsman of record is Eric Dominguez-Rosales. The charges listed on the bond are Aggressive Driving and Hit and Run. As a condition of the bond, Carlos Mondragon is required to appear at all scheduled court hearings in the Western Judicial Circuit. An arraignment date of April 17, 2026, at 9:00 AM was noted on the bond document. If he fails to appear, the bond can be forfeited and a bench warrant issued for his re-arrest.
6/8/26
ACCUSATION FILED — THREE MISDEMEANOR CHARGES AGAINST CARLOS DANIEL MONDRAGON-ROSALES
What this means: The District Attorney’s Office for the Western Judicial Circuit filed a formal accusation against Carlos Daniel Mondragon-Rosales in the Superior Court of Oconee County under case number SUCT2026000072. An accusation is a formal charging document used in place of a grand jury indictment, typically for misdemeanor offenses. Carlos Daniel Mondragon-Rosales is accused of three misdemeanor counts:
Count 1 charges him with Hit and Run under O.C.G.A. 40-6-270, which is the legal requirement that a driver involved in an accident stop and remain at the scene or return to it.
Count 2 charges him with Aggressive Driving under O.C.G.A. 40-6-397, which involves operating a vehicle in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger other people or property.
Count 3 charges him with Following Too Closely under O.C.G.A. 40-6-49, which prohibits a driver from following another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and safe given traffic and road conditions.
The accusation was filed with warrants numbered 45236 and 45237.
6/8/26
STATE PROVIDES INITIAL DISCOVERY TO DEFENSE
What this means: On this date, the State provided its initial discovery materials to the defense in case number SUCT2026000072. Discovery is the process by which both sides in a criminal case share evidence and information before trial. This gives Carlos Daniel Mondragon-Rosales and his legal team the opportunity to review what evidence the prosecution intends to use.
6/16/26
CRIMINAL ARRAIGNMENT CALENDAR HELD — CARLOS DANIEL MONDRAGON-ROSALES ENTERS NOT GUILTY PLEA
What this means: Carlos Daniel Mondragon-Rosales appeared on the criminal arraignment calendar in Oconee County Superior Court on this date. At arraignment, a defendant is formally presented with the charges against them and enters a plea. Carlos Daniel Mondragon-Rosales entered a plea of not guilty to the charges filed against him, meaning the case will continue to move forward through the court process.
6/17/26
DEFENSE FILES DISCOVERY MOTION AND DEMANDS JURY TRIAL IN OCONEE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT
What this means: Attorney Sydney Crudo of the Western Circuit Public Defender Office filed a combined motion on behalf of Carlos Daniel Mondragon-Rosales in the Superior Court of Oconee County under case number SUCT2026000072. The filing includes three components. First, a discovery motion formally requesting that the State turn over all evidence in its possession, including the accusation or indictment, witness lists, statements made by Carlos Daniel Mondragon-Rosales, expert reports, scientific reports, photographs, recordings, and any physical evidence held by law enforcement. Second, a demand for exculpatory evidence — meaning any information that could help prove Carlos Daniel Mondragon-Rosales’s innocence or undermine the State’s case, as required under Brady v. Maryland and Giglio v. U.S. Third, a formal demand for a jury trial, meaning Carlos Daniel Mondragon-Rosales is exercising his constitutional right to have his case decided by a jury rather than a judge alone. The motion was served on the District Attorney’s office electronically on June 17, 2026.