Bazetta man gets probation as lengthy shooting case ends

A Bazetta man who late last year saw his aggravated assault trial end in a hung jury in May was given three-years basic probation beginning with a 90-day jail term.

Bett Budd, 41, of McCleary Jacoby Road, on Jan. 16, 2025, pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor assault and one count of a third-degree discharge of firearm on or near prohibited premises felony.

On May 7, 2025, Common Pleas Judge Cynthia Rice also ordered Budd to have no contact with the victims in the case, enter anger management classes and forfeit his two weapons used in the incident, an AR 15 rifle and a Springfield Hellcat pistol.

For the two misdemeanor convictions, Budd was given suspended 180-day jail terms. If he violates any terms of his probation, Budd could face that jail sentence, the judge warned.

The case involved Budd being accused of a shooting a woman in the hand as she was in a car parked outside the defendant’s home following an early morning road rage incident in February 2024. Budd was originally charged with two counts of felonious assault, one count of discharge of firearm across a public roadway and one count using weapons while intoxicated.

At the trial last October, Assistant Prosecutor Kevin Trapp called about a half dozen state witnesses to the stand, while the defendant also testified saying he shot his AR-15 rifle form the front doorway of his him in self-defense.

Prior to the shooting, the defendant’s pickup truck collided with the vehicle containing the victim and her male companion, who also took the witness stand. The three had encounters at two Howland night spots prior to the road rage incident.

Defense attorney Jeffrey Goodman stated Budd has been a hard-working union member and did not have any extensive criminal record, deserving a shot at probation. The female victim prepared a statement criticizing Budd’s “outrageous, irresponsible and childish” actions. That statement was read by Jenna Maze, coordinator of the Prosecutor’s Office Victim/Witness Division.