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By BARTON PERKINS | Staff Writer

PELHAM – More than five months ago, Pelham Police Officer Elizabeth Minter was hit by a driver while directing traffic, and on Sunday, Dec. 10, the driver of the vehicle was identified.

On Saturday, July 1, Minter was still in her training phase with the Pelham Police Department when a drunk driver hit her going approximately 80 miles per hour, leaving Minter in critical condition.

“Her gear was thrown across six lanes of traffic; she was knocked out of her boots from the point where she was struck,” Pelham Police Chief Brent Sugg said.

Now, more than five months after the accident, the man who ran over Minter has been identified as Shaquille O’Neil Montgomery, 30, of Alabaster and has been indicted by a Grand Jury.

In the aftermath of the accident multiple fundraisers and a gofundme page were organized to help raise money for the numerous surgeries and hours of physical therapy required to help Minter recover.

“It’s been a slow and painful process, but I believe all my experiences in life have taught me that, with God, I can push through it to the other side,” Minter said over Facebook only weeks after the accident. “I’ll get back out on the road one day, and hopefully, you’ll see me back patrolling in Pelham.”

Montgomery was arrested on Sunday, Dec. 10 at roughly 11:40 a.m. by members of the Shelby County Sheriff’s office alongside members of the Alabaster Police Department. Montgomery is said to have peacefully surrendered to law enforcement and was subsequently taken to Shelby County Jail. He is currently being held on a bond of $76,000 on four separate charges.

The charges are as follows:

• First degree assault
• Leaving the scene of an accident
• Possession of marijuana
• Possession of psilocyn

“We are grateful for our district attorney’s office for facilitating this case through the grand jury and that Mr. Montgomery was safely taken into custody,” said Clay Hammac, chief deputy of the Shelby County Sheriff’s department. “We hope that this is the beginning of justice and closure for our family members at the Pelham Police Department.”

At this time a date for Montgomery’s official trial has yet to be set, but if convicted he could potentially spend anywhere from 10 to 15 years in prison.

“The Pelham Police Department is grateful that the individual who caused the catastrophic injuries upon Officer Elizabeth Minter on July 1, 2023, was taken into custody in Alabaster on December 10. We look forward to a successful prosecution of the individual and continued physical improvements for Officer Minter. We are grateful to God that she survived the events of that night,” Sugg said. “We appreciate the law enforcement agencies that have been involved throughout this process, including the men and women of the Pelham Police Department, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Alabaster Police Department, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department.”