Police in Brentwood released camera video and 911 audio tied to the September arrest of 72-year-old Yolanda Ramirez, whose family says she died after officers used excessive force, while city officials say she suffered a medical emergency and the case remains under investigation.
The release on Feb. 27 put new attention on a case that has already sparked rallies, lawsuits and a split over medical findings. Ramirez’s relatives say she was injured while officers tried to force her into a patrol vehicle and that she later died after emergency brain surgery. The city and police department have said they are cooperating with an independent review by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office and have urged patience while investigators examine the records, video and medical evidence.
The publicly posted recording is a produced compilation that includes video from officers’ body-worn cameras, in-car video and 911 audio from Sept. 26, 2025, when officers were called to a home in Brentwood for what authorities described as a family dispute. In the footage described by local media reports, Ramirez repeatedly questions why officers are demanding personal information and tries to walk away. At points she tells officers she does not want to be questioned and does not want to provide identifying details. When officers warn that she will be arrested if she does not comply, Ramirez resists being taken into custody and refuses to get into a patrol SUV parked nearby.
Two officers identified in reports as Danielle Tjhia and Aaron Peachman restrain Ramirez, place her in handcuffs and move her toward the patrol vehicle. Video accounts describe Ramirez going limp at one point as officers try to seat her, and the recording includes moments in which bystanders watch and film from across the street. Neighbors later told television stations that Ramirez repeatedly complained about her handcuffs and asked officers to stop. “She was just like, why are you doing this, you’re hurting me,” one neighbor said in an interview broadcast by a local station.
In the in-car footage described by reporters, Ramirez is seen seated upright in the back seat, then later appears to suffer a medical emergency. Officers call for medical help and attempt to get a response from her. Paramedics arrive and take Ramirez to a hospital, according to local reports and city statements. Her family has said she was later diagnosed with a brain bleed and underwent emergency surgery. Ramirez died on Oct. 3, 2025, her relatives said, after she was taken off life support.
Her husband, Rudy Ramirez, said watching the edited video months later left him shaken. “It was horrific,” he said in an interview aired by ABC7, adding that it was painful to see how his wife was treated. Family members have said they were allowed to watch a redacted version before the city posted the briefing video publicly, but they dispute the way it was presented. Richie Ramirez, one of her sons, said the family has demanded the original, raw footage rather than an edited package with blur and added context.
Melissa Nold, a civil rights attorney for the family, has said the recordings support the family’s claim that officers used unnecessary force against an elderly woman. Nold said Ramirez’s head struck the vehicle as officers tried to force her inside and that an officer attempted to close a door while Ramirez’s feet were still extended. The attorney has also pointed to bruising and injuries the family says are consistent with rough handling. Police officials have not addressed those claims in detail in public statements, citing the ongoing investigation and pending litigation.
The Brentwood Police Department said in its Feb. 27 media release that posting the video was part of a commitment to transparency and that Ramirez’s family was given the chance to view the material privately before it was released to the public. City officials have said they will not speculate about the evidence while the district attorney’s office completes its work. In an earlier city update, interim police leadership said the department invoked the county’s fatal incident review protocol in early October 2025 and began an administrative investigation focused on policy and procedures, later assigning that review to an independent third-party investigator.
A major point of conflict is the medical evidence. The family has cited an independent autopsy that concluded Ramirez’s death was a homicide linked to blunt force trauma and asphyxiation during restraint, according to reports by ABC7 and other outlets. Officials have pointed to findings described in local coverage as consistent with natural causes, including a stroke and underlying health conditions, though those conclusions have been disputed by the family and their attorney. The district attorney’s office has not publicly released a final report resolving the competing conclusions, and prosecutors have not announced any criminal charges in the case.
Legal action is moving on a separate track. The family has filed claims and lawsuits against the city and officers, including a federal civil rights lawsuit reported by KTVU. In interviews, relatives have said Peachman is also the president of the local police union, a detail that has intensified calls from supporters for outside scrutiny. The city has said it intends to defend against the lawsuit and has urged the community to allow investigators to complete their work before drawing final conclusions.
The delayed release of video has also become part of the debate. Supporters of the family argue California law generally requires agencies to release certain recordings within a set period in serious use-of-force cases and say they should not have had to wait months to see what happened. City officials have said they faced competing obligations as an independent investigation moved forward and have framed the release as a step toward accountability while protecting the integrity of the review. Demonstrations in Brentwood and public comments at meetings have focused on whether officers should have allowed Ramirez to leave the scene and whether the incident should have triggered a public coroner’s inquest.
Some outside voices have also questioned the decision to use hands-on force at all. Policing expert Michael Leninger told NBC Bay Area he saw no reason for officers to go hands-on with a 72-year-old woman in that moment. Other residents have urged caution, saying only investigators and courts can determine what the evidence shows. Neighbors interviewed by local stations have said they were surprised by how quickly the encounter escalated on a residential street and by how long Ramirez appeared to remain in the vehicle before medical personnel took over.
For now, the city says the district attorney’s investigation continues, and the family says it will keep pushing for a full public accounting, including access to unedited video. The next major milestone is the district attorney’s findings and any decision on whether the case will result in criminal charges, discipline, policy changes or a resolution in civil court.
Author note: Last updated March 3, 2026.