Deal to allow Seabrook PD chief charged with assault to resign citing retirement passes

The Seabrook police chief charged with assault was voted out of a job Tuesday night after a city council meeting.

The city and police department have been doing their best to keep his employment status and the investigation quiet. However, ABC13’s Brooke Taylor obtained a copy of a severance and separation agreement that the city council voted on at 6 p.m.

Under the agreement, Wright will resign, indicating his intent to retire. There is no mention of the assault charge. It also gives him a one-time payment of $72,750. The agreement, which wasn’t meant for the public, ensures the city and chief will continue to stay silent about what happened. Neither will be allowed to speak to the media, and all comments will have to go through their attorneys.

In January, Wright was charged with a Class C assault charge. According to court records, Wright falsely accused a young man of stealing his gym bag outside a gym in Webster. According to Webster police, the gym bag was later found.

The victim spoke only to  back in February, who wanted to stay anonymous out of fear of retaliation.

He said he noticed a man staring at him in the locker room, who then followed him out to his car, where he went through his belongings, pushed him around, and pinned him against the car.

“I said, ‘Hey, what’s up man?’ He started walking over and said, ‘Give me my (expletive) bag,'” he said. “I said, ‘I don’t know what you are talking about.’ He opened my door, started looking around through the side, and saying, ‘Where the (expletive) is my bag? I know you took it. You are the only one who could have took it.'”

The victim said he thought the man may have been trying to steal his car.

“He pushed me and pulled me out of the car and held me against the car and kept yelling, ‘Give me my (expletive) bag,'” the victim said. “I told him, ‘I don’t have your bag. Quit touching me! I don’t have your bag. Leave me alone!'”

The victim went on to say he tried to reach into his car for his phone, pleading with the man to call police while he was being held.

“He said, ‘I am a cop. You won’t get in any trouble,’ and I said, ‘You’re a cop, and you are assaulting me? Quit touching me,'” the victim said.

After Tuesday’s vote, spoke to the victim’s mother, who said the decision was wrong and that the chief should not be allowed to retire instead of let go for the charge. She said she wished someone asked her son to speak during the council meeting.

The Seabrook Police Department and the City of Seabrook did not publicly comment on the charge until our report, and we started asking questions.

In April,  found out Wright was put on administrative leave. Again, the city did not make this public until we pushed for answers.

Now, four months after the incident, the city council has decided to pass the separation agreement.

The city directed us to their attorney Loren Smith with Olson & Olson LLP. We have also reached out to the Seabrook Police Department. has not heard back.