A resident of Suffolk County has filed a lawsuit alleging police brutality following a high-speed chase that ended in violence. Plaintiff Arthur Lambert claims that after ceasing to resist arrest following a car crash, he was subjected to excessive force by police officers from the Suffolk County Police Department.
The case stems from an incident on August 10, 2024, when Lambert led police on a vehicular chase through Suffolk County. The pursuit ended when Lambert crashed his vehicle on Sunrise Highway. According to the complaint, once stopped, Lambert offered no resistance as he awaited arrest. He alleges that despite his compliance, officers used unnecessary and violent force against him.
Lambert claims that at least one officer punched him multiple times while he was on the ground and another officer struck him with an unidentified black object. The complaint states that Lambert suffered a head gash requiring staples and a broken tooth that required removal. It also alleges that officers pulled down his shorts during and after the incident.
The lawsuit asserts violations under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for excessive force, as well as state-law claims for battery. Lambert seeks compensatory and punitive damages for physical injuries and emotional distress, along with attorney’s fees under 42 U.S.C. § 1988(b), and requests a jury trial.
The plaintiff is represented by attorney Alexander Klein of Barket Epstein Kearon Aldea & LoTurco LLP. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York under case ID 25-cv-6195.