PORTLAND – A Portland woman is preparing to file the sixth excessive-force lawsuit against the city’s Police Department since the start of last year.

Sharon Forbis, 59, alleges that Portland officers broke three of her ribs last spring after she called them to her house to break up a fistfight between her sons.

Her lawyer, Daniel Lilley, said this week that he plans to file suit against the city and the Portland Police Department by the end of the week.

Lilley’s firm recently won a $600,000 excessive-force settlement for Vincent Dorazio from the Police Department.

Portland Police Chief Michael Chitwood said that police were called to Forbis’ Veranda Street apartment by her son, 25-year-old Andrew, who had been in a fight with his 39-year-old brother, James.

Officers tried to enter Sharon Forbis’ apartment to check on her son’s condition, but she refused to let them in, according to Chitwood.

The officers pushed on the door and she fell, Chitwood said. Then James Forbis entered the room, saw his mother on the ground and attacked the officers, the chief added.

Sharon Forbis filed a notice of claim with the city last fall. It alleges that Portland police threw her to the floor, then hit her and handcuffed her. The claim seeks damages of $500,000.

The claim also alleges that Sharon Forbis was unfairly charged with two counts of assault and various other charges, all of which were dropped in September.