Sacramento County is cutting a $1.2 million check to settle a federal lawsuit after a sheriff's deputy was caught on camera shoving a 71-year-old woman out of the downtown Main Jail in October 2024, sending her crashing to the sidewalk. The woman, Ourania Thimmhardy, suffered a fractured femur and spent months in the hospital. The deputy in the video, Matthew Gurich, was fired and now faces a felony unlawful-assault charge, with a court date set for July 24 as the criminal case moves ahead.
Federal court signed off on the payout
A federal judge approved the settlement on May 4, signing an "incompetent person's compromise" that requires Sacramento County and other defendants to pay $1.2 million, according to Justia Dockets & Filings. The order directs that $713,630 go to Thimmhardy and $486,370 to her attorney's firm, and it instructs the parties to file dispositional documents within 45 days after the money is paid.
Jail video reignites use-of-force and oversight questions
Surveillance and body-camera footage posted by the sheriff’s office show Gurich pushing Thimmhardy through the jail’s front door as several deputies stand nearby, then her body hitting the sidewalk outside, as reported by KQED. Advocates and attorneys who reviewed the clips have pointed out that Thimmhardy appears confused during the jail booking process, which her lawyers say followed a mental-health crisis.
Felony charge and peace-officer status
After reviewing the video and interviewing witnesses, prosecutors filed a felony count of unlawful assault by a public officer against Gurich, according to CBS Sacramento. The charge has been pending since mid-2025. The sheriff’s office fired Gurich in March, and the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training lists a temporary suspension of his peace-officer certification on its public actions page.
Family’s attorney slams decision to jail her
Civil-rights attorney Mark Merin, who filed the federal lawsuit on Thimmhardy’s behalf, told The Sacramento Bee that “She never should have been taken to the jail,” and he has called for the firing of other deputies who appear in the footage. The complaint alleges that two private security guards on scene did not step in and that Thimmhardy will need care workers for the rest of her life because of the injury. A court date in the criminal case is set for July 24.
What happens next
With the July 24 hearing approaching, Gurich’s criminal case is still unfolding even as the county has wrapped up the civil side with the $1.2 million settlement. The federal order again spells out that both sides must file dispositional paperwork within 45 days of payment, according to Justia Dockets & Filings. The sheriff’s own sheriff’s office transparency site hosts the video but does not publish internal disciplinary records, a gap that attorneys and advocates have seized on as they press county leaders for stronger accountability.
