Police officer who wrongfully pulled over undocumented student resigns, city says
DALTON, Ga. (WANF/Gray News) - The Georgia police officer who wrongfully pulled over an undocumented college student, later leading to her stay at an ICE detention center, has resigned from the job.
A spokesperson with the City of Dalton confirmed on Saturday that Leslie Allen O’Neal stepped down.
On May 5, Ximena Arias-Cristobal was stopped by police for allegedly making an improper turn and arrested for driving without a valid license. When officials discovered she was undocumented, the 19-year-old was taken to ICE’s Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia.
The following week, police said a dash camera video showed O’Neal pulling the wrong car over. Arias-Cristobal’s charges were dropped afterward.
Despite the exoneration, Arias-Cristobal remained at the detention center for about two weeks before an immigration judge granted her a $1,500 bond. She returned home early Friday morning, met with tearful hugs and kisses from her family.
Arias-Cristobal told WANF she wouldn’t wish what she went through on her worst enemy.
“It’s not knowing what’s going to happen to me,” she said. “Knowing that I could be sent back to a country that I don’t know. Having to be torn apart from my family.”
Despite being undocumented, Arias-Cristobal has been in the United States since she was 4.
Arias-Cristobal’s attorney said she is seeking a U.S. visa. The next court hearing is scheduled for early 2026.
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