March 2, 2015-  Commonwealth v. Tasai Betts:   “Tasia Betts was on a violent one man crime spree.  In the span of approximately ten days, Betts attempted to kill a Pennsylvania National Guardsman and seriously injure a police officer in separate incidents.  He is a definite clear and present danger to the public."  That is how Deputy District Attorney Katie Adam described Tasia Betts after Betts was convicted by a second Dauphin County jury in the span of four months for crimes that he committed as a seventeen year old in June of 2013.  On March 2, 2015, after 45 minutes of deliberation, a Dauphin County jury convicted Tasai Betts of Aggravated Assault of a Police Officer, four counts of Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Fleeing from Police, Firearms charges and Possession of  Crack Cocaine. 

The case was based on an incident that occurred on June 22, 2013, when Highspire Police Officer Jeffrey Levan tried to initiate a traffic stop on Betts’ car at 3 a.m.. on Eisenhower Blvd. for erratic driving.  There were four other teenagers in the car with Betts at the time.  Instead of stopping, Betts led the officer on a high speed chase down Eisenhower Blvd and onto Route 83 South. On 83 South, Betts pulled out a gun which was handed to a backseat passenger who wanted to toss the gun out the window. Betts told him not to, and took his gun back, driving with it in one hand. He made statements to the passengers in the car that he was about to kill the cops and they should write him in prison.  Around the 17th street exit on 83 S, Betts turned his car across the yellow lines and rammed the police cruiser causing both cars to be destroyed.  Fortunately there were no serious injuries to anyone in either car.  Following his arrest, crack cocaine was located in Betts’ pants pockets, and he admitted to owning the Ruger SR22 that was found on the floor of the vehicle. The serial number on the Ruger had been obliterated, which is a felony.

In October of 2014, Betts was convicted of the attempted homicide of National Guardsman Sergeant Kenneth Durbin, who he shot five times during a robbery about a week before the police chase involving Officer Levan.  However, prior to trial, it was determined that evidence of the Durbin shooting prejudiced the rights of Betts to a fair trial in this matter and, therefore the jury did not hear any of that evidence.  In terms of the police investigation, the discovery of the gun following the accident on Route 83, led Harrisburg Police to solve the shooting of Sergeant Durbin.  Betts’ sentencing on yesterday’s conviction is scheduled for May 14, 2015.  He is currently serving a sentence of 22-44 years in prison for the attempted homicide of Sergeant Durbin.

Following the verdict, Deputy District Attorney Katie Adam, who prosecuted the case, stated “based on the evidence presented, I think the jury reached the correct verdict".