EXCLUSIVE: New video shows interaction between Bay Area police, 72-year-old woman before her death
BRENTWOOD, Calif. (KGO) -- There are new developments in the case of a 72-year-old Brentwood woman who died after an interaction with police. On Monday, for the first time, we're seeing video of police arriving at the woman's sister's home. She's the one who had called police for a family dispute.
Yolanda Ramirez's sister Sylvia says she didn't want her sister to be arrested - she wanted accountability. A responding officer was explaining to Sylvia that she could make a citizen's arrest for allegations police did not personally witness, when the situation took a dramatic turn.
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Yolanda Ramirez's sister Sylvia talked to ABC7 News investigative reporter Melanie Woodrow through a window screen and didn't want to appear on camera.
She showed Woodrow video of police arriving at her home on September 26 after she called them to report a family disturbance.
"Come on Ruben," you can hear Yolanda calling outside the house.
Sylvia says Yolanda said she was there to pick up her brother Ruben for a medical appointment, but Sylvia says Ruben didn't have a medical appointment and she didn't want him to leave with Yolanda.
She says Yolanda was kicking and pounding on the door so she called police.
In the video she showed the ABC7 News I-Team, you can see Police Officers Association President Aaron Peachman arriving at the home.
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He went inside to talk to Sylvia and another officer stayed outside with Yolanda, who sat down in the passenger seat of her vehicle.
When Yolanda walked over to the driver's side of her vehicle the officer called out to Officer Peachman that she was fleeing. As Officer Peachman ran out, Sylvia stopped showing the video to ABC7 News.
Another video taken from across the street and shows the officers cuffing Yolanda.
Neighbor Corinna asked that we not show her face on camera or give her last name.
"She was just like why are you doing this, you're hurting me," said Corinna.
"Police say that Yolanda was fleeing," asked Woodrow.
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"No she was not fleeing," said Corinna.
"What makes you say that," asked Woodrow.
"Because she was with the cops the entire time," said Corinna.
"But having two police officers for a 72-year-old lady, kind of man handling her like that, it seemed a little excessive," she continued.
The video doesn't capture what happened when officers took Yolanda, now cuffed, down the block to a patrol vehicle parked across the street from Ashley Jeglum's home.
"She was complaining about her cuffs - how her cuffs were too tight and they were telling her to get in the car and she didn't want to get in the car. I mean who is going to want to get in the cop car, right? She's 72 years old and so they're trying to force her in and then she says she can get in by herself - they weren't listening to her so they like forced her into the side of the car, and then the female cop went around the other side of the car and pulled her in the rest of the way and then shut the door," said Jeglum.
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"They were being pretty rough, for a 72-year-old lady," she continued.
"She's not gonna outrun you, she's not a threat to you, if you can't handle a 72-year-old elderly woman, maybe you should find a new line of work," said Jeglum.
According to Brentwood police, while in the patrol vehicle, Yolanda "appeared to be having a medical issue and police immediately contacted medical personnel."
Her family took her off life support the following week.
Jeglum says officers left her alone in the vehicle.
"For at least 45 minutes, while they were out here talking," said Jeglum.
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Police towed Yolanda's vehicle, on a tow form listing PC 148, willful resistance, as the reason.
"She's already at her family's house - just leave her car there. What did they need to investigate in the vehicle," said Jeglum.
While the DA's office is investigating, Jeglum and every neighbor the ABC7 News I-Team spoke to, said no police officer or DA's office investigator has interviewed them.
"From what I know, nobody has come to talk to any of the witnesses that live on this street," said Jeglum.
An attorney for Officer Peachman has said, "We are confident that the District Attorney's investigation will show that Officer Peachman acted appropriately and well within departmental policy and the law."
"Prayers for the family, it's pretty sad," said neighbor Mike Lopez.
It's not clear why Sylvia wouldn't show me the rest of the video a camera at her home captured. She wouldn't say. The DA's office investigation could take up to six months.
Take a look at more stories by the ABC7 News I-Team.
