Additional Coverage:
Dalton, GA – A Dalton police officer has resigned following the wrongful arrest of 19-year-old Ximena Arias Christobal. Ms.
Christobal was mistakenly apprehended on May 5th after being pulled over for an improper turn. Dashcam footage later revealed that her vehicle resembled one that had actually committed the violation.
The unnamed officer’s resignation was confirmed by city spokesperson Bruce Frazier, who declined to comment further on the circumstances. The Dalton Police Department has also offered no official statement.
Following the traffic stop, Ms. Christobal was taken to the Whitfield County Jail and subsequently transferred to ICE custody.
She was released on bond May 22nd but still faces deportation proceedings. Ms.
Christobal, who arrived from Mexico at the age of four, has not lived in the country since early childhood. Adding to the family’s distress, her father was also detained by ICE around the same time, also following a traffic stop.
The Department of Homeland Security has stated that both Ms. Christobal and her father should face consequences for being in the U.S. illegally.
However, their case has garnered significant local support, including from a Republican state lawmaker, citing Ms. Christobal’s long-term residency, clean record, and the erroneous nature of her arrest.