CLEVELAND COMMUNITY – More than a year after a motorist was reportedly punched in the face by a stranger in the parking lot of a Cleveland-area business, an arrest has been made.
James Arnold Seals Jr., age 51, of Raleigh was arrested on November 14, 2024 and charged with misdemeanor assault inflicting serious injury.
On February 24, 2023, a 51 year-old Johnston County man was attempting to park his SUV outside Food Lion on Glen Road.
The victim alleges an unknown man, later identified by authorities as James Seals Jr., approached and claimed he was nearly run over by the SUV. Seals began arguing with the victim.
The victim, who denied nearly striking the stranger with his vehicle, was punched in the face. He sustained a severe laceration.
The suspect left the scene before officers arrived.
A warrant was obtained for James Seals Jr. in March 2023 but he wasn’t located until this month. Seals was released on a $1,000 bond pending a court appearance.
