Lawsuit accuses Evanston police of excessive force in woman's arrest; body cam video released
A family has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Evanston, Illinois, claiming police there used excessive force that put a woman in a coma during an arrest.
Attorneys said the woman, Felicea Williams, 42, remained in a coma as of this week, five months after the incident.
City attorneys on Monday released some of the body camera footage from the night of the incident. The video shows officers restraining Williams as they arrested her.
On Jan. 5, 2026, Evanston police arrested Williams in the 1100 block of Howard Street near Barton Avenue. Howard Street divides Evanston from Chicago in this area.
Evanston police said at 9:38 p.m. that night, officers were called to the scene for two men battering another person. At the same time, Chicago police were called for a stabbing at a bar on the Chicago side of Howard Street, police said.
Evanston police said their officers, who were patrolling nearby, found that Williams was involved in both incidents.
When police arrived, Williams was bleeding from the face, and a person at the scene said she was involved in the altercation, Evanston police said. Williams ran into the street and tried to force her way into a car, and officers told her to stop, police said.
As officers tried to detain Williams, she spat blood and saliva into an officer's mouth and tried to bite his ungloved hand, police said. Officers tried to arrest Williams, but she resisted, and officers used force to apprehend her, police said.
The Evanston Fire Department responded and moved Williams onto a gurney, police said. She became unresponsive, and paramedics began trying to resuscitate her before she was taken to an area hospital, police said.
Evanston police found that Williams was injured after being battered by the two men for whom police were first called.
Williams was charged with aggravated battery to a police officer, police said. Evanston police also notified the Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force of the incident, police said.
In a lawsuit filed this week in U.S. District Court, attorneys from The Cochran Firm Chicago claimed that officers used excessive force while restraining her and failed to intervene when she was showing signs of medical distress. Attorneys said Williams had a heart attack during her arrest, which led to the coma.
The lawsuit names the City of Evanston and six officers. They are accused of violating Williams' constitutional rights, failing to intervene, and battery and related claims.
CBS News Chicago reached out to the City of Evanston and was waiting for a response Tuesday afternoon.
