BRENTWOOD – The family of Yolanda Ramirez, who went unconscious in the back of a police car and died days later at a hospital, will be able to view camera footage of her 2025 arrest.
The Brentwood City Council on Tuesday night directed staff to release footage of the encounter to her family no later than Feb. 28, before making it available to the public.
Brentwood Mayor Susannah Meyer said the City Council is committed to ensuring the police department fully cooperates with an ongoing investigation by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, adding that it was essential for the independent investigation to proceed “thoroughly, objectively, and without interference.”
“Out of respect for the integrity of the investigative process and for the family of Ms. Ramirez, we will not speculate or comment on details that are under review,” said Meyer on Tuesday. “We are committed to transparency, accountability, and due process, and we will share verified information as it becomes appropriate to do so.”
The council also authorized the city’s legal department to defend a lawsuit filed by Ramirez’s family this month.
Ramirez, who worked with Contra Costa Health Services before retiring, was arrested on Sept. 26, 2025, on suspicion of a misdemeanor for allegedly yelling outside of her childhood family home on Broderick Drive, where her sister, Sylvia Bustos, lives.
According to a lawsuit filed on Jan. 1, Ramirez was at the home to pick up her brother, who also lives there, for a medical appointment when an argument ensued between the sisters, prompting Bustos to call the police.
The lawsuit alleges that multiple third-party witnesses saw an unidentified female officer speak with Ramirez outside the home for a few minutes, during which Ramirez was “compliant” and explained her concerns about her brother’s welfare.
While Ramirez was waiting, she sat in the front passenger seat of her car, then walked slowly to the opposite side of the vehicle a few minutes later, but suddenly, the suit claims, the female officer yelled that Ramirez was fleeing “despite having provided no commands or directions.” Ramirez allegedly made no attempt to escape.
Along with the city, the lawsuit also names Brentwood Police Officer Aaron Peachman, who was speaking with Bustos. He approached Ramirez and “grabbed” one of her arms while his colleague grabbed the other, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit further alleges that witnesses observed Ramirez “being pushed aggressively towards the patrol car” and Peachman “pressing his forearm on the back of Mrs. Ramirez’s neck.”
“Mrs. Ramirez notified Defendant Peachman that she could get into the car by herself, apparently angering him. Defendant Peachman violently struck Mrs. Ramirez’s head on the window of the patrol car,” the lawsuit states.
While in the back of a patrol car outside the home, Ramirez apparently suffered a medical emergency and went unconscious.
The lawsuit alleges that Ramirez suffered “head trauma and a brain bleed due to the abuse by Defendant Peachman and the female defendant officer,” requiring emergency surgery.
Ramirez remained on life support until her death on Oct. 3, 2025.
The lawsuit states that the city of Brentwood did not release body camera footage of the incident within 45 days, as required by state law under Senate Bill 1421 and Assembly Bill 748.
SB 1421 grants public access to records relating to incidents involving the use of force by a peace or custodial officer against a person and other misconduct, while AB 748 requires agencies to allow audio or video recording related to critical incidents to be made public within 45 days unless the disclosure interferes with an active investigation.
On Tuesday, Brentwood Interim Police Chief Walter O’Grodnick said he had notified the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office on Oct. 2, 2025, and formally invoked the county’s Law Enforcement Involved Fatal Incidents Protocol.
Under the protocol, which was first created in 1984, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office conducts an independent investigation to determine criminal liability in an incident when an officer or civilian is shot or dies during an encounter with law enforcement in the county.
O’Grodnick said he also directed his department’s professional standards unit to start a separate administrative investigation focused on policy compliance and procedural review.
The administrative investigation was later assigned to an independent third investigator to ensure independence and objectivity, said O’Grodnick.
“The District Attorney’s protocol team arrived the same day I initiated the protocol and was immediately provided with full access to relevant evidence, including 911 recordings, body-worn camera footage, in-car camera footage, police reports and related documentation, including the police vehicle involved in the incident,” he said.
The Brentwood Police Department has fully cooperated with the district attorney’s office and has “not restricted or limited access” to any information requested by the office, O’Grodnick said.
“I want the Ramirez family and the community to know that I am fully committed to professionalism, accountability, objectivity, fairness, and adherence to the law and constitutional rights,” said O’Grodnick. “This investigation requires time to ensure it is complete, thorough, and independent, and I ask for the community’s continued patience as the process continues.”
He urged the community to share any additional information related to the incident with the Contra Costa County’s District Attorney’s Office.
Ramirez’s husband, Rudolf Ramirez, who had been married to her for 49 years, said he was happy with the city’s decision to release the footage.
“It’s something that we’ve been asking for a while now, and it just seems like they could have done it faster than to wait till Feb. 28, but I’m happy that they finally made a move,” Ramirez told this news organization.
He still hopes that action will be taken against the officers involved in the incident.
“It’s one more step forward for us, but until we see something done to the police officer and his assistant … until something is done to them, or until they say that this is what is going to happen to them … he’ll be taken off the force, that’s even better,” said Ramirez. “But like I said, I don’t believe it’ll happen, and we’ll just have to wait and see.”
Hence then, the article about brentwood to release camera footage of yolanda ramirez arrest was published today ( ) and is available on mercury news ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Brentwood to release camera footage of Yolanda Ramirez arrest )
Also on site :