Brill & Rinaldi, The Law Firm, filed suit in federal court in Orlando on behalf of Plaintiff Lindsey Brooke Isaacs under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and Florida common law against two Florida Highway Patrol officers – Sergeant Tiffany Jateff and Sergeant Joshua Buday – in their individual capacities. The case arises from a fatal multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 4 in Volusia County on October 4, 2025, which killed three people and seriously injured a fourth. The crash was caused by a Dodge Durango traveling approximately 112 miles per hour that fled the scene. Despite readily available evidence proving her innocence – including an independent 911 caller who identified a maroon Durango with a partial plate matching the actual at-fault driver, Alisa Lee Montalvo, and Flock camera data placing Ms. Isaacs three miles west of the crash scene two minutes before it occurred – Sgt. Jateff fabricated evidence of Ms. Isaacs’ black Durango having vehicle damage in a sworn affidavit for arrest warrant and omitted material exculpatory information, and Sgt. Buday adopted and reiterated those same false statements under oath at a bond/pre-trial detention hearing. Ms. Isaacs was charged with eight felonies – including three counts of vehicular homicide – jailed for thirteen days without bond (including time in solitary confinement), and faced the possibility of life imprisonment before the State Attorney filed a No Information on May 22, 2026, dropping all charges and simultaneously arresting the actual perpetrator.
The Complaint asserts six causes of action: (1) federal malicious prosecution under § 1983 (Fourth Amendment) against Jateff for procuring the constitutionally infirm arrest warrant through deliberate false statements and material omissions; (2) federal malicious prosecution under § 1983 (Fourth Amendment) against Buday for continuing Ms. Isaacs’ seizure through false sworn testimony at the bond/pre-trial detention hearing; (3) false arrest/false imprisonment under Florida common law against Jateff; (4) false arrest/false imprisonment under Florida common law against Buday; (5) malicious prosecution under Florida common law against Jateff; and (6) malicious prosecution under Florida common law against Buday. On each count, Plaintiff seeks compensatory damages – including for emotional distress, mental anguish, humiliation, reputational harm, and loss of liberty – as well as pre- and post-judgment interest. On the federal claims, Plaintiff additionally seeks punitive damages and attorneys’ fees and costs under 42 U.S.C. § 1988.