Dashcam Footage Released By Aurora Police In Woman's Arrest

AURORA, IL — A routine traffic stop for a missing front license plate Friday turned sour after an Aurora police officer learned there was a warrant out for the 20-year-old driver's arrest. The Aurora Police Department released a full dash camera video of the incident Tuesday evening after partial cell phone footage didn't "explain the circumstances or show the totality of the incident," police said.

"As a part of Aurora Police’s mission to share the full story and be transparent to our community, we are releasing the video from our squad cameras that show the entirety of the stop," officials said in a statement.

Around 3:32 p.m. near the intersection of South Lincoln Avenue and North Avenue, a police officer pulled a black Nissan Sentra over for missing license plate, required in Illinois. When the officer arrived at the car, she asked the driver — identified as Rosemary Green, of the 1100 block of McMillian Avenue in Aurora — to roll down the tinted back windows. The officer told the driver this was to ensure everyone's safety, the video, posted on Facebook, shows.

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In the video, when the officer is notified by APD Dispatch that there's a warrant out for Green's arrest, she requested a transport van to the scene. Green questioned why the officer called for the van, and the officer told her it was for "just in case" and "for officer safety" since the driver also had another person, a minor, in the car with her.

The officer then asks Green to step out of the car "with a concern that the driver could flee," Aurora police said in the video's caption. When the driver didn't cooperate, the officer attempted to pull open the door but couldn't since the driver held it shut, according to police.

"In Illinois, a police officer can order someone out of a vehicle at any time," the video's caption reads. "The driver does not have the right to refuse an order to exit the vehicle when lawfully ordered by a police officer."

During the conflict, another officer entered and told the driver to roll down her window. When she continued to refuse, he told her he was going to break her window. When he tells her he's going to arrest her for resisting a police officer, she agrees to step out.

"The driver struck the male officer in the chest area with her left elbow, which caused the officer to lose grip of her left arm. The driver then moved her left arm and hand toward the male officer's neck," police said.

The video shows the male officer sending the driver face-down on the ground in a continued attempt to handcuff her. At this point, the 16-year-old passenger gets out of the car, pushed the male officer and attempted to interfere with the arrest, according to police.

In an attempt to arrest the teenager, the officer pulled his taser out of its holster and activated the front laser, which police said is a de-escalation feature. He pointed it at the teen but didn't fire, and the teen "immediately began to comply by laying on his stomach," according to police.

The teen was arrested without further incident.

The female officer was still holding the driver down at this point, the video shows, and the audio indicates the woman continued asking why she was being arrested and what the warrant was for, at which point the officer told her she'll explain in the car.

Police arrested the 20-year-old and charged her with Class 2 felony aggravated battery against a police officer, Class 4 felony resisting or obstructing a police officer, and misdemeanor unlawful possession of cannabis by a driver.

The teenager was charged with aggravated battery against a police officer and resisting or obstructing a police officer. Charges against both him and Green were authorized by the Kane County State's Attorney's Office.

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