A Gainesville woman was arrested on misdemeanor traffic charges after she drove across the property of Candler United Methodist Church on Roy Parks Road, heavily damaging a large pumpkin display in the process, according to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). And investigators say they were able track her down using a License Plate Reader system.
“…patrol deputies met with the pastor of the church around 11:45 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, after he arrived at the church and discovered the damage,” sheriff’s office spokeswoman B.J. Williams wrote in an email Monday. “He reported there was no damage to the display the night before. The church was selling the pumpkins as a fundraiser. The pastor estimated the loss at around $3,600.”
The initial investigation determined an unknown motorist had exited the roadway and crashed through four pallets stacked with pumpkins. The deputies collected several pieces of vehicle debris, including a fog light, which had been left behind following the incident.
“An investigator with HCSO’s Accident Investigation Unit (AIU) was able to use the fog light to identify the vehicle as a BMW,” Williams wrote. “He then submitted a request for Flock camera data to determine if any BMWs had traveled through the area overnight. With the Flock data obtained from the request, the investigator located the damaged vehicle at a residence on Silver Creek Drive. He determined the owner of the vehicle was Sandra Bernal-Cervantes, 36. She was located at the residence and questioned.”
Bernal Cervantes was charged with failure to maintain lane and hit and run. She was booked at the Hall County Jail and has been freed on bond.