Woman, 76, Files Federal Suit After Being Charged With Trespassing At Senior Care Center

A woman said that she suffered anguish and embarrassment after being forced to leave a senior care center where her friend was staying.

Elizabeth Bormann, 76, filed a federal lawsuit against Columbus police after they forced her to leave the Highbanks Care Center on Lazelle Road.

Bormann said that she went to the care center to visit a long-time friend but was told that she was not allowed to see him by orders of his power of attorney.

“The nurses came and they said they would have to call police, and I said, ‘If that’s what they need to do, then they’ll have to do that,’” Bormann said.

Columbus police arrived and told Bormann that she was trespassing. She said that the officer said, “I’ve had enough of you.”

Bormann said that the officer used excessive force on her.

“He took my right arm and pulled it back and when he did that, I fell to the floor,” Bormann said.

Bormann was charged with trespassing in connection with the incident.

She said that she filed the federal lawsuit because her civil rights were violated. She said that she suffered “anguish and embarrassment.”

“I urinated because I was humiliated,” Bormann said.

Ashley Rutherford Starling, Bormann’s attorney, said that the case was one of excessive force.

“The fact that he damaged my client the way he did, to have eight weeks of physical therapy, indicates that he used an amount of force that was unnecessary,” Rutherford Starling said.

A spokesperson for the senior care facility said that the officer did exactly what he was supposed to do and that police were backing the officer, who remained on patrol as of Tuesday.

Bormann said that she did not think the officer mean to hurt her.

“I don’t think he meant to sprain my arm,” Bormann said. “I don’t think he meant to, but he did.”

Watch 10TV News and refresh 10TV.com for more information.