The St. Charles police bodycam captured a chaotic scene on January 31, 2025, when a workplace disturbance turned violent. Officers were dispatched to By Your Side, an autism therapy center located at 255 38th Ave in St. Charles, Illinois. The incident quickly went viral due to the explosive escalation of a 32-year-old employee who physically attacked her coworkers and police officers.
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Watch: St. Charles police bodycam Caught on Camera
Note: Pay close attention to the timestamp at 00:13:04 where the situation escalates as the suspect is escorted out of the building.
Full Story: How the Incident Unfolded
The incident began around 5:00 PM when a supervisor confronted employee Jennifer G. Sanchez, suspecting she was intoxicated at work. Sanchez, who stated she worked two jobs and had only slept for one hour, strongly denied the accusation. She became enraged, throwing her personal belongings and damaging company property.
Sanchez grabbed a decorative turtle valued at $15.00 and threw it, causing it to break. She also threw items off nearby desks and slammed a door so hard that the doorstop embedded into the wall, leaving a 4-inch by 3-inch hole. The property damage to the desk left a 2-inch by 1-inch hole.
Officers N. Garcia and J. Gaske arrived on the scene in full police uniform at approximately 5:45 PM. They found Sanchez inside the employee lunchroom, where she was crying and visibly upset. While speaking with her, Officer Garcia noticed Sanchez had glassy eyes, slurred speech, and smelled of alcohol.
The officers informed Sanchez that her employer simply wanted her to leave the premises. Officer Garcia politely asked Sanchez to call an Uber or a friend for a ride home because she did not appear safe to drive. Sanchez agreed and walked to her desk to retrieve her phone.
However, as she was leaving, Sanchez fixated on a coworker walking nearby. She began to sarcastically clap her hands and yell, “Good job,” causing a loud disturbance in the office. When officers attempted to guide her outside, Sanchez unprovokedly shoved Officer Garcia with an open hand.
The officers immediately moved to restrain her, taking Sanchez to the ground when she pulled away and resisted arrest. Once she was double-locked in handcuffs, they assisted her to her feet to escort her out.
As they walked through the door, Sanchez screamed, “You fing bitch!” and violently kicked a coworker’s left knee. Officer Garcia pulled Sanchez into a hallway corner, but Sanchez kicked off the wall, shoving both officers backward. When she attempted to kick someone again near the front door, the officers executed a high/low takedown maneuver to bring her safely to the ground. While pinned, Sanchez continuously screamed, “I will f you up!”. Sergeant Bradley Schumacher arrived moments later to assist, using straight arm control on Sanchez’s left arm. Sanchez continued to fight, attempting to knee Officer Gaske with her right leg.
Sanchez verbally abused the officers, stating, “You’re a f***ing idiot cop right now,” and complained that the handcuffs were injuring her wrist. Ultimately, she was secured in a police vehicle and transported to the station for booking.
The Arrest: Charges Against Jennifer Sanchez
- Suspect: Jennifer G. Sanchez
- Age: 32 (DOB 1992) +1
- Location: St. Charles Police Department (1515 W. Main St.) for processing
| Charge | Simple Explanation | Potential Penalty (US) |
| Aggravated Battery to a Peace Officer (720 ILCS 5.0/12-3.05-D-4-1) | Physically attacking a police officer while they are performing their official duties. | Felony charge; penalties vary by state but typically include significant prison time. |
| Resisting/Obstructing a Peace Officer (720 ILCS 5.0/31-1-A) | Fighting against officers attempting to place you in lawful custody. | Misdemeanor; up to a year in county jail. |
| Criminal Damage to Property (720 ILCS 5.0/21-1-A-1) | Knowingly causing damage to someone else’s property under $500. | Misdemeanor; fines and possible short jail sentence. |
Legal Analysis: Was the St. Charles police bodycam Justified?
Based on the police report, the officers’ actions appear strictly aligned with standard law enforcement protocols. The officers were legally dispatched to the property after a 911 call reported a disturbance and an employee destroying property. This provided the necessary reasonable suspicion and legal right to be on the premises.+1
The officers initially used verbal de-escalation techniques, merely asking Sanchez to order a rideshare home rather than arresting her. Force was only utilized after Sanchez initiated physical contact by shoving Officer Garcia unprovoked. The subsequent takedowns were standard control tactics deployed because Sanchez was actively resisting arrest, twisting her hands in the cuffs, and kicking at bystanders and officers.
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Frequently Asked Questions: The Legal Context Behind the Footage
Can an employer legally confront an employee if they suspect them of being intoxicated on the job?
Yes. In most US states, including Illinois, employers have a legal obligation to maintain a safe work environment. If a supervisor observes signs of impairment—such as slurred speech, glassy eyes, or erratic behavior—they have the right to intervene. Depending on company policy, they can ask the employee to leave the premises, send them home, or require a sobriety test.
Do police need a warrant to enter a private business and arrest an employee?
Not if they are invited in. If a business owner, manager, or an employee calls 911 and grants officers access to the property, the police are there legally. Once officers are lawfully inside, if a suspect commits a crime right in front of them—such as shoving an officer—they have the authority to make an immediate, warrantless arrest.
What is standard police protocol when a suspect claims the handcuffs are hurting them?
Officers are specifically trained to check the fit of handcuffs and “double-lock” them, which prevents the cuffs from tightening further if the suspect pulls or twists their wrists. If a suspect still complains of injury, standard procedure dictates that officers call independent medical personnel—like the fire department or paramedics—to evaluate the suspect either at the scene or the station.
How does bodycam footage impact cases where a suspect claims they were physically attacked by police?
Body-worn cameras provide an objective visual and audio record that protects both citizens and officers. In situations involving resisting arrest or battery, the footage can definitively show who initiated the physical contact. It also helps courts determine if the police used a proportionate and justified amount of force—such as a “high/low takedown”—to gain control of a combative suspect.
If a suspect refuses medical treatment after a police struggle, does it affect their case?
It can significantly impact their defense. If a suspect claims police brutality later on but refused evaluation from independent paramedics right after the incident, it weakens their argument. This is especially true if the suspect attributes their pain to pre-existing conditions (like a grade-school injury) rather than the police encounter when speaking to the medics.
Conclusion & Current Status
Following the arrest, Sanchez complained of wrist pain. Medics from the St. Charles Fire Department evaluated her, but she refused medical treatment and transport to a hospital. Interestingly, she told the medics her wrist was “wonky” from a grade-school injury and a recent bite from a child, failing to mention the handcuffs.+3
Officer Garcia sustained a bruise and shooting pain in her right elbow from the struggle but also declined medical attention. Sanchez was processed at the station and subsequently released to a male acquaintance. She was issued a Notice to Appear (NTA) in court on March 6, 2025, at 0900 hours in room #313 at the Kane County Judicial Center.
Download Police Report click here.
Disclaimer: All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This report is based on official police records.
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