Woman alleges excessive force by former Austin police officer, filing lawsuit over lasting brain injury

Lawsuit targets city and former officer after December 2024 arrest downtown

A federal lawsuit filed in early January 2026 accuses the City of Austin and a former Austin Police Department officer of using excessive force during an arrest that the plaintiff says left her with permanent brain injury.

The plaintiff, Natalie Gialenes, alleges she was injured during an encounter outside the Austin Marriott hotel on Cesar Chavez Street after police approached her in the early morning hours. The suit names former APD Officer Joseph Spees as a defendant alongside the city, seeking monetary damages.

What the complaint alleges happened

The complaint describes an incident that occurred in December 2024 while Gialenes was visiting Austin from South Carolina. It states she was outside the hotel shortly after 3 a.m. and had been arguing with hotel staff. Police then handcuffed her on suspicion of public intoxication.

Gialenes alleges that after she bent down to pick up her identification, Spees slammed her to the ground. The complaint also alleges that Spees slammed her head as he placed her into a patrol vehicle. The lawsuit claims she suffered brain trauma and other injuries.

Officer’s employment status and city response

Spees is no longer employed by APD. The department terminated him in late 2025 following an internal investigation that found he used excessive force and misled investigators about the severity of Gialenes’ arrest.

The city said it had not yet been served with the lawsuit when asked about the filing and indicated it would review the complaint and respond through the legal process.

Broader claims in the filing

Beyond the specific allegations involving Spees, the lawsuit asserts that the incident reflects wider problems in training, supervision and discipline. The complaint references dozens of prior incidents over more than a decade in which Austin officers were accused of using excessive force, including cases connected to the 2020 protests.

How excessive-force cases typically proceed

Cases alleging excessive force often hinge on disputed facts about what occurred, what officers perceived at the time, and whether the level of force was reasonable under the circumstances. When lawsuits also seek to hold a city responsible, plaintiffs generally must show that an injury was tied to an official policy, a longstanding practice, or failures in training or oversight that amount to deliberate indifference.

• The lawsuit seeks damages for alleged injuries from the December 2024 arrest.
• City attorneys are expected to respond after service, which can include motions challenging the legal claims.
• Key evidence in similar cases commonly includes body-camera footage, witness accounts, medical records and internal investigative findings.

The defendants have not admitted wrongdoing. The allegations described in the complaint have not been proven in court.