Judge sentences couple who attacked teacher with brick
The woman and her boyfriend who attacked a Pittsburgh King PreK-8 teacher on the West End Bridge in 2017 are going to jail.
Daishonta M. Williams, 30, and Vincent Beasley, 27, were both ordered Monday to serve a term of 11½ to 23 months at the Allegheny County Jail followed by five years’ probation after pleading guilty in November to aggravated assault and conspiracy.
Both defendants apologized to the victim, Janice Davis Watkins, in statements to the court.
Williams described herself as “remorseful, regretful, humble and apologetic,” and blamed her actions on hormones from a miscarriage a few days before the Oct. 18, 2017, incident.
Police said Williams first confronted Ms. Watkins that afternoon because of a situation at school with her now 11-year-old daughter.
But shortly after 3 p.m. while traffic was stopped on a ramp of the bridge, Williams attacked Ms. Watkins. First the woman threw a brick through the open driver’s-side window of the teacher’s car and then attacked her.
Deputy District Attorney Janet Necessary said Ms. Watkins was repeatedly punched and kicked, and then Beasley joined in, pulling her hair and kicking her.
During Monday’s sentencing hearing before Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Randal B. Todd, Ms. Watkins’ family members said her personality had completely changed because of the attack.
“She is totally a different person until I don’t know her anymore,” said her mother, Betty Davis.
Ms. Davis said her daughter won’t visit her home because it requires her to cross the West End Bridge.
Ms. Watkins’ sister, also named Betty Davis, said, “I lost my best friend.”
Ms. Watkins continues to have migraines and blurred vision from the concussion she suffered and only returned to work teaching two weeks ago.
“This incident has tremendously changed my life,” she said.
She told the court she used to be a happy-golucky, outgoing teacher.
“She loved being a teacher,” Ms. Necessary said. “Now, she’s having a hard time being a teacher.”
During her statement, Williams told the court, “I am not a bad or violent person, and I take pride in teaching my children not to be either.
“I am utterly ashamed of my actions that day.”
Williams begged Judge Todd not to send her to prison, repeatedly referring to her children, ages 11, 3 and 3 months.
“They are my world,” she said. “I cannot bear to miss any milestones.”
But Judge Todd told her that actions have consequences.
“There was no reason for this to happen,” Judge Todd said. “This poor woman could have died. This is why people don’t want to teach anymore.”
In addition to the jail term and probation, both defendants must also perform 100 hours of community service.