The death of 72-year-old Yolanda Ramirez after an encounter with Brentwood police has led to a federal civil rights lawsuit by her grieving family. As reported by KTVU, the suit was filed against the city of Brentwood, claiming Ramirez's death resulted from a violent apprehension by officers. "He's out there, he gets to go home to his wife and kiss her and hug her, after he killed mine," Rudy Ramirez, her widower, said during a rally. The lawsuit specifically points the finger at Aaron Peachman, the president of the Brentwood police union.
The family accuses officers, including Peachman, of using excessive force during the Sept. 26 incident. According to the family, the altercation occurred while Yolanda Ramirez was attempting to transport her brother to a doctor's appointment. It is claimed that she became involved in an argument with her sister, prompting the arrival of police. During the incident, officers are alleged to have forcefully taken her to the ground, subsequently causing a skull fracture and blunt force trauma, as detailed in an independent examination mentioned by Melissa Nold, the family attorney, and reported by KTVU. "Never had any contact with the law until the day the law killed her," Nold stated.
In addition, SFGATE reports the lawsuit alleges that after slamming Yolanda Ramirez's head against a patrol car, officers left her unresponsive in the back seat for at least 20 minutes without providing immediate medical assistance. The suit articulates that Peachman and an unidentified female officer were responsible for the excessively forceful arrest, which led to Ramirez's hospitalization and her subsequent death on October 3, 2025, after being taken off life support.
Interim Brentwood Police Chief Walter O'Grodnick had previously made a statement regarding the incident, as reported by SFGATE, asserting that Ramirez was "placed under a citizen's arrest at the request of a family member" and that "officers detained Ms. Ramirez, and after being secured in a patrol vehicle, officers noticed she appeared to be having a medical issue, and they immediately contacted medical personnel."
