South Greensburg man's scuffle with security at Hempfield Area High School could have been avoided, judge says

A South Greensburg man was sentenced to serve one year of probation for an altercation with security officers who attempted to prevent him from entering Hempfield Area High School without a mask during covid-era restrictions in 2021.

Richard Michael Bettis, 58, was convicted during of misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest, trespassing, disorderly conduct and a summary harassment offense following a nonjury trial in March. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio found Bettis not guilty of a felony charge of aggravated assault and a misdemeanor count of simple assault.

Bettis was in violation with the district’s mask mandate on Sept. 10, 2021, when he scuffled with school security officers who refused him entry in the administrative building to drop off paperwork, police said. Bettis entered the building without a mask and refused to wear one when asked, declined to leave the building and became physical with the school security officers who attempted to push him outside. One officer sustained a cut to his arm during the scuffle, according to court records.

Police said Bettis was not a guardian or parent of a student at the school.

“If defendant would have simply stepped outside to continue this conversation it is likely that no physical altercation would have occurred and he could have delivered this paperwork as he sought to do without conflict … Nonetheless, defendant had no privilege to remain inside the high school once he was directed to leave and he had no legal right to resist arrest,” the judge ruled.

In addition to the probation term, Bettis was barred from all Hempfield Area School District property.