Former Bellefonte school board member pleads guilty, gets probation after arrest
A former Bellefonte school board member was sentenced Tuesday to nine months of probation after he was accused last month of shoving a woman out of a moving car and striking her in the face.
Jack I. Bechdel II, 58, pleaded guilty Tuesday to summary counts of harassment and disorderly conduct. A misdemeanor count of simple assault and a citation for driving with a suspended license were dropped.
Bechdel was also sentenced by Centre County President Judge Jonathan Grine to 16 hours of community service and a $300 fine. He must complete an anger management program and a mental health evaluation.
Centre County Deputy Public Defender Patrick Klena declined comment after the hearing.
Bechdel, who was elected in 2021 and in the final year of his term, resigned from the board the day after he was charged. He was one of five candidates who filed to run for election to the board this year.
His name remains on the primary ballot because the deadline to withdraw passed before his arrest. He previously told the Centre Daily Times he “highly doubts” he would win but would have until August to decide whether to withdraw from November’s ballot.
Bechdel was arrested by State College police after a woman said he began arguing with her about her drinking habits during a trip to Sheetz in College Township. She told police Bechdel reached across the car, opened the passenger door while the vehicle was moving, shoved her onto Shiloh Road and drove over her ankle.
After he drove her home, the woman told an officer Bechdel struck her on the left side of her face with a backhanded, closed-fist swing because she would not get out of the vehicle. Bechdel then shoved her out of the car and drove away, police wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.
She reported injuries to her nose and foot. An officer said he saw “noticeable bruising and swelling” under her left eye and blood on her hands. She testified in court with two black eyes a week after the assault.
During an interview at Lowe’s in Patton Township, police said Bechdel admitted to striking the woman in the face and described the strike exactly as she did. He claimed he struck her only because she hit him first on the right side of his face and mouth while he was driving, police wrote.
Bechdel said his front tooth was knocked loose by the woman, but the officer noted most of Bechdel’s teeth were rotted or missing. No visible injuries were seen on Bechdel’s face, police wrote.
He was released by District Judge Allen Sinclair on $10,000 unsecured bail. Bechdel said he resigned because his actions had “drawn a spotlight on the board that is not warranted.”
“As long as I am on the board during this period, the public will question every detail of every decision made,” Bechdel wrote last month in an emailed statement. “I am proud of my work on the board and the relationships that developed over the years. For the board to continue its course unfettered, I must step down as director.
“This decision was not taken lightly, and I dread that things had to end this way,” Bechdel wrote. “I wish the board the best and hope that they continue to have civil discussion in the future.”
All five board members present at a meeting last month accepted Bechdel’s resignation. No present school board members or community members spoke during public comment about Bechdel’s case or resignation.
Holly Hopkins was appointed by the board to serve the remainder of Bechdel’s term. She has launched a write-in campaign for the primary election.