Edger V. Mccabe Et Al

Case Background

On December 28, 2023, Roland Edger filed a civil rights lawsuit against Officers Cameron Perillat and Krista McCabe, alleging they falsely arrested him for refusing to provide identification while he was working on his car. The false arrest lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court, Alabama Northern (Northeastern). Judge Liles C. Burke presided over the case. [Case number: 5:19cv1977]

Cause

Roland Edger, a U.S. citizen, lived in Huntsville, Alabama. At all relevant times, Krista McCabe and Cameron Perillat worked as Huntsville police officers and resided in Alabama. The City of Huntsville operated as an Alabama municipality. The lawsuit named McCabe and Perillat in their individual capacities.

On June 10, 2019, Edger, an Auto Collision employee for nearly 30 years, received a call from Kajal Ghosh, who asked him to change a flat tire on his wife’s car. Ghosh instructed Edger to retrieve the key from the front desk at Progressive Union Baptist Church in Huntsville. Around 2:00 p.m., Edger picked up an envelope labeled with his name, containing the key. After inspecting the car, he realized he needed additional tools. He left the key in his possession, locked the car, and departed.

At 7:45 p.m., Edger returned with Justin Nuby, who drove him so he could later transport the car to the shop. As Edger worked, Nuby alerted him that a security vehicle had arrived. The vehicle was actually a Huntsville police cruiser. While facing the car, Edger heard a female voice ask what he was doing. Without turning around, he replied that he was changing a flat tire. The officer, later identified as McCabe, asked if the car belonged to him. Edger explained that it belonged to a church employee and that her husband had called him for assistance.

As Edger continued working, the car slipped off the jack, injuring his hand and damaging the suspension. McCabe then ordered him to stand up and provide identifi