MONTGOMERY, Ala., May 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Civil rights attorneys at Grant & Eisenhofer P.A have filed a federal lawsuit (A. Seales v. City of Greenville, City of Montgomery et al. Case 2:26-cv-00359) against several Alabama police agencies and officers allegedly responsible for the “unnecessary” high-speed chase that led to the death of off-duty Montgomery Police Chaplain-Pastor Antonio Seales; the Firm is also renewing its public appeal for information – including eyewitness accounts – about the May 10, 2024 pursuit that spanned more than 40 miles.
(Chaplain-Pastor Seales was affiliated with the Department since 2013: Photo: MPD)
Following the death of beloved Pastor Seales, flags in Montgomery were lowered to half-staff in his memory and he was lauded as a “cherished and respected figure, known for his impeccable character and compassionate heart.” He died on May 21, 2024, as a result of the catastrophic injuries he sustained in the crash.
(Chaplain-Pastor Seales’ sedan after it was struck by the ‘retail theft’ suspect’s vehicle – Photo: WSFA-TV)
The lawsuit names multiple localities and one dozen individual officers allegedly responsible for the “unnecessary” May 10, 2024, multi-jurisdiction, high-speed chase that started in Greenville and ended in Montgomery. The Complaint, which includes claims of wrongful death, negligence, and civil rights violations, was filed by Antonia Seales, the late pastor’s daughter, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, Montgomery Division.
“The family of the late Chaplain Pastor Seales, the renowned, iconic founder of the pioneering Montgomery community policing initiative Operation Good Shepherd, takes no satisfaction in bringing this lawsuit, but it would be a disservice to his remarkable legacy and the community he deeply loved if they did not seek the full measure of transparency, justice, and accountability in his name”, said Pennsylvania-based civil rights attorney Elizabeth Bailey of Grant & Eisenhofer, lead counsel for the Seales Family.
The Complaint reveals for the first time publicly that the alleged shoplifting suspect the police were chasing – whose SUV fatally slammed into Pastor Seales’ sedan – had “no violent or felonious criminal history”, as a simple criminal history records check would have revealed.
Antonia Seales said after the filing, “It’s been two years since our father died, and not a day has passed that we do not grieve his preventable death. There was no life-or-death situation, so why did the police act like there was? And why to this day won’t they tell the whole truth about what happened? My dad loved his work – he worshiped the Gospel and believed in the Rule of Law. He would want some good to come of his tragic death and place his faith in the court system.”
Attorney Bailey also noted that the Complaint documents that for a year the Firm has been trying, without success, to obtain all related police reports, dashcam videos, and radio communications, and other ‘public’ information that can further shed light on how and why Greenville and the other participating police departments initiated and executed this high-speed pursuit. In that regard, the Firm is again asking any members of the public who may have relevant information about the chase or crash, including but not limited to eyewitness accounts, photos, and videos, to contact the attorneys.
Contacts:
Elizabeth Bailey / [email protected] / 302-622-7195
Steph Rosenfeld / [email protected] / 215-514-4101
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/179dd974-1ebd-4bba-8e26-686444578b7a
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9f96d8f0-d713-4dda-bbe9-5f8e946a90c9
