DA clears officers in Yolanda Ramirez arrest and subsequent death

BRENTWOOD — There was no evidence of excessive force during last year’s arrest of Yolanda Ramirez, 72, who fell unconscious in the back of a police car and died days later, according to a report released Tuesday by the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office.

The DA’s office found that Brentwood Police officers Aaron Peachman and Danielle Tjhia had used “reasonable force” and had the legal authority to detain and arrest Ramirez.

“Although her death was tragic, Yolanda Ramirez died from a stroke and other health-related conditions, not from an unreasonable use of force,” the DA’s office said in a related statement on Tuesday.

“Based on the findings of the District Attorney’s investigation, no further action will be taken in this case.”

According to the DA’s office, on Sept. 26, 2025, Ramirez went to pick up her brother for a medical appointment at her childhood family home on Broderick Drive, where her sister, Sylvia Bustos, also lives. But the two sisters had a dispute over who was taking the brother to the appointment.

Bustos told a police dispatcher that Ramirez had been “confrontational” previously and worried that she “might become combative again.”

When police arrived, Bustos accused Ramirez of kicking her door and told Officer Peachman she wanted Ramirez arrested for breaking a coffee cup on her front porch. Peachman explained the process of a citizen’s arrest to Bustos and reluctantly told Bustos he would do so if she was sure.

Body-worn camera footage released by the city in February showed that Ramirez, while seated on the passenger side of her vehicle, was repeatedly asked to provide her date of birth and address, but Ramirez declined to answer.

After continuing to refuse orders by police, officers told Ramirez she was being detained on a misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest.

The footage also showed Ramirez being lifted into the back of the patrol car.

But within minutes, Ramirez seemingly panicked. She called out for police to take off her handcuffs and give her water, but an officer said, “no, you can get that stuff when you’re in jail.”

Ramirez died just a few days later, on Oct. 3, 2025, after a week-long hospital stay, and Brentwood police didn’t publicly acknowledge her death until weeks later, after Bay Area News Group reported on the incident.

An autopsy report concluded that Ramirez died of a stroke due to pre-existing medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.

However, a second independent autopsy report, conducted at the request of Ramirez’s family, found she suffered from blunt force trauma to the head and torso “as a consequence of police restraint” and ruled the manner of death as “homicide.”

In July, a coroner’s inquest was held in response to public outcry over the controversial death.

The jury tasked with that investigation ruled that Ramirez’s death resulted from an accident.

Melissa Nold, an attorney for Ramirez’s family said she was “disgusted” but “not surprised” at the outcome of the case.

The DA’s office, Nold said in a Facebook post, failed to investigate the case and only did so after public outcry.

The Ramirez family repeatedly sought answers from the Brentwood Police Department, but say that they’ve had no success, prompting them to launch their own probe. The family has also filed a lawsuit against the Brentwood Police Department, which remains pending.

“I’m disgusted but not surprised to announce that the Contra Costa District Attorney will not be filing charges in the Yolanda Ramirez case,” Nold wrote. “As always, blue protects blue.”