A sheriff’s deputy in Sacramento who was fired after bodycam footage showed him swearing at, then shoving a woman to the ground out of a jailhouse, is now being charged for the incident.
The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office charged Matthew Gurich with one felony count of unlawful assault by a public officer.
Gurich was seen on body camera and surveillance videos forcefully shoving 71-year-old Ourinia Thimmhardy out of the downtown Sacramento jail on Oct. 7, 2024, after completing her release paperwork and escorting her from the facility.
The bodycam footage shows Thimmardy speaking with Gurich and requesting clarification as she signs multiple release forms. As she pauses between forms to make conversation, a visibly frustrated Gurich repeatedly asks her to focus on penning her signature.
At one point, he places a hand on her shoulder and asks her again to concentrate on signing the forms. When she asks him not to touch her and to stand back, he states, “You need to stop f***ing talking and just listen to us.”
Once Gurich, accompanied by other deputies, begins escorting Thimmardy out of the jail, he starts pushing her.
“Don’t push me,” Thimmardy states while attempting to nudge his hand off her shoulder.
“Shut the f*** up,” Gurich responds while putting her arm behind her back and physically shoving her toward the exit.
“What are you doing?!” Thimmardy exclaims.
As Thimmardy protests the treatment and threatens to file a complaint, Gurich tells her, “You’ll be OK,” before shoving her hard out of the exit, causing her to fall. Thimmardy audibly moans in pain, but Gurich and his partners walk back inside the jail, leaving her on the ground.
A Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said Gurich was placed on administrative leave following the incident and then was officially terminated on March 14, the Sacramento Bee reported.
Thimmardy is expected to file a lawsuit next week.
According to her attorney, the 71-year-old has a documented history of mental health issues. According to KXTV, she had to undergo surgery for a broken femur and was hospitalized for three months. During her hospitalization, her husband suffered a heart attack and died.
Her attorney says that, now, she cannot “climb stairs” and will require the assistance of care workers due to her injuries.
“Time has run out for the need to make substantial changes in the way the county deals with jail inmates from the top down,” attorney Mark Merin said. “There has to be training, there has to be staff accountability and they have to look at people who are in custody as human beings, who need care and help and not mistreatment.
In a statement about the charges against Gurich, the Sacramento District Attorney’s Office said, “It is our ethical duty to follow the law and facts when we prosecute all cases. Because these are pending cases, we cannot comment any further.”
