By Paul Feely
The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
CONCORD, N.H. — A Concord woman has been sentenced to up to seven years in prison in connection with a crash that killed a corrections officer in 2018, officials said.
Officers responding to a reported crash involving a bicyclist at the intersection of Tenney Street and Parmenter Road about 10:51 a.m. on Sept. 5, 2018, found Patrick Bettens, 41, of Concord, suffering from injuries sustained in the crash. Bettens, a longtime state Department of Corrections employee, later died of those injuries.
The driver of the vehicle, Jessica Warren, 41, was arrested on charges including vehicular assault, driving with a suspended license, second offense.
Concord police said Warren, whose New Hampshire driver’s license was suspended at the time of the crash, was driving a Honda Odyssey north on North State Street when it crashed into a bicycle operated by Bettens, who was also traveling north along the road.
According to police, Warren’s van hit the rear tire of the bicycle, causing Bettens to fall off the bike and be hit by Warren’s vehicle.
In a statement, police said “Evidence gathered during the course of the investigation determined that Ms. Warren was responsible for the crash in that she did not exercise due care in the operation of her vehicle and that she could have avoided colliding with Mr. Bettens’ bicycle.”
Police said investigators also determined Warren was following too closely and committed a yellow line infraction, two factors that contributed to the crash.
Warren was sentenced Tuesday in Merrimack County Superior Court for causing Bettens’s death. She was convicted after a five day jury trial of driving after revocation or suspension, a felony level offense.
After reviewing the sentencing memoranda and hearing oral arguments on sentencing recommendations from both prosecutors and defense counsel, Judge Mark Attorri adopted the state’s recommendation and sentenced Warren to no less than 3 1/2 years and no more than 7 years in state prison.
Warren may seek a reduction of up to nine months of both the minimum and maximum parts of her sentence by completing approved prison programs, officials said.
According to a published obituary, Bettens served for several years in the U.S. Army and was employed as a sergeant for the New Hampshire Department of Corrections. He enjoyed running and had competed in triathlons as well and was training for upcoming triathlons when his bike was hit.
He was the father of two boys: Colby, 14, and Travis, 16.
“Ms. Warren’s decisions of that day clearly resulted in the death of Mr. Bettens,” said Merrimack County Attorney Paul Halvorsen in a statement. “Judge Attorri’s sentence is appropriate and reflects the seriousness of Warren’s actions.”
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