A 74-year-old Navy veteran who says she was assaulted by a retired Long Beach police officer was hospitalized for a couple of days after the alleged attack because of a serious head injury that resulted in brain bleed.
Vivian Ramsay suffered a subdural hematoma of the brain, or a type of brain bleed, caused by a head injury during the April 24 attack, her attorney David Baria said.
“When I was serving my country in the Navy, I never thought there would be a day that any American, especially a retired policeman, would purposely confront me for expressing my opinion in a silent and peaceful manner,” Ramsay said in an interview Monday.
On the afternoon of the April 24 assault, Ramsay had parked her van at U.S. 90 and Jeff Davis Avenue for a peaceful protest against actions by President Donald Trump since he began his second term in office. Her van had signs denouncing various acts during the Trump administration.
“We should not have to protect democracy from the President,” read one sign. In another, Ramsay proclaimed, “Married women lose voting rights. SAVE Act is voter suppression.”
Ramsay said she was surprised by the assault suspect, since identified as retired Long Beach Officer Craig DeRouche, 64, who she says approached her and ripped a protest sign off her van.
“He attempted to further intimidate me by grabbing at me,” she said. “I defended myself until he struck me in the head so hard that I fell to the ground, and I think I lost consciousness. His actions were unprovoked and outrageous. I defended my country in the Navy, and I defended myself on April 24, and I intend to defend myself in court for any charge that I violated the law.”
DeRouche has been arrested on a misdemeanor charge of simple assault against Ramsay in the April 24 incident. He is charged with a second count of misdemeanor assault in the same incident for allegedly assaulting a man who saw the attack and stopped to help the veteran protester, Long Beach Police Chief Billy Seal said.
DeRouche subsequently signed misdemeanor criminal affidavits accusing Ramsay of misdemeanor simple assault for allegedly attacking him and an additional misdemeanor charge for assault by fear.
Baria represents Ramsay in the criminal case and said he’s informed authorities of his client’s willingness to surrender if warranted. Baria said what happened to the 74-year-old veteran was “terrible.”
“I don’t care who you voted for in the last election,” Baria said. “As Americans, we should be able to agree that this should not be allowed to happen. We wouldn’t allow our children to behave this way, and we can’t, as a society, tolerate this behavior in adults.”
Early on in the investigation, Chief Seal described what happened as a “pushing match” and said Ramsay “ended up on the ground with a bump on her head.”
Seal said that since then, Long Beach Municipal Judge James “Jim” Simpson has recused himself from hearing the case. Judge Lewie “Skip” Negrotto IV is now set as the presiding judge.
Seal said he expects the judge to ultimately decide whether to issue an arrest warrant for Ramsay or set up a probable cause hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence to support the charges.
As of lunchtime Monday, Seal said a judge had not yet signed off on an arrest warrant for Ramsay.
DeRouche served as a Long Beach police patrolman for 18 years and later as an investigator, detective, and evidence supervisor. The city recognized DeRouche for his service upon his retirement in September 2020.
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