Desert Hot Springs councilmember pleads not guilty to road rage charges

Desert Hot Springs City Councilmember and recent mayoral candidate Russell Betts entered not guilty pleas to a pair of charges today following an alleged road rage incident.

Betts pleaded not guilty to a felony count of vandalism and a misdemeanor count of false imprisonment at the Riverside Hall of Justice on Thursday, according to case records.

The defendant is due back in court for a felony settlement conference on March 6.

He is accused of trapping and damaging another motorist's vehicle at a 7-Eleven in charges that were filed one day before the election. Betts allegedly followed a driver whom he believed cut him off in traffic on Aug. 4, parking in a way that prevented the person's escape and striking the other car, according to a declaration in support of arrest first obtained by Uken Report.   

According to the declaration, Betts followed the other driver shortly before 9 a.m. that day, parking behind him when only one other vehicle was in the lot. He allegedly popped the hood of his car, ``pretending to have an inoperable vehicle'' and confronting the other driver when the person left the convenience store. The other driver ``could not get out of the situation, except to back out of the parking space,'' investigator Lauren Swirsky, contacted by the Desert Hot Springs Police Department, said in a statement.   

The councilmember had allegedly parked his car with about four feet of room for the other driver to back up. According to the declaration, after the other driver backed up twice while trying to escape, striking Betts' car with ``minimal force'' the second time, Betts allegedly kicked the passenger side of the vehicle and hit it twice with his hand.   

On his third attempt to reverse from the situation, the driver was ``able to make the right turn to get out of the parking lot.''   

Damage estimates that Swirsky acquired from West Coast Auto Collision showed over $3,200 in repair costs, according to the declaration. When asked for comment, Betts texted Uken Report that the information on the charges were ``new to [him].''

Betts has served as a councilmember since 2007. Incumbent Desert Hot Springs Mayor Scott Matas, seeking reelection for another four-year term, declared victory on Dec. 4 following a close race.