A New York City woman who live-streamed herself ranting against police hours before she drunkenly struck and killed an NYPD officer in 2021 was sentenced to at least 22 years in prison on Wednesday.
Jessica Beauvais, 34, was convicted of manslaughter in the fatal hit-and-run of Anastasios Tsakos, a 14-year NYPD veteran and father of two. After Tsakos’ widow, Irene, tearfully pled with Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Aloysed for justice on Wednesday, he sentenced Beauvais to 20 years in prison for aggravated manslaughter and between two and seven years for leaving the scene of an accident, the New York Post reported. Beauvais’ sentences will run consecutively.
“As Jessica Beauvais was sobering up in a police station that morning, our world was collapsing,” Irene Tsakos said. “Because of a single person’s despicable actions, our family was sentenced to a lifetime of loss.”
Tsakos was struck by Beauvais while investigating an accident and directing traffic on the Long Island Expressway in the early morning hours of April 27, 2021. Hours earlier, the woman posted a Facebook stream where she discussed the trial of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
“This week we are going to talk about the ignorance that was the Derek Chauvin trial — or the ignorance that is essentially just is this f***ing justice system.” She also played the song “F*** Tha Police” by NWA. She added, “Like NWA say about the police – if you’re going to kill me, at least I get to take someone with me. I’m one of those people. If I’m going to go, someone is coming.”
The Daily Mail reported that Beauvais was seen vaping and drinking during the video, and police said that she later confessed to downing vodka, wine, and smoking weed before the deadly hit-and-run. She was found to be high on drugs and her blood alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit at the time of the hit-and-run.
Today after almost three years Jessica Beauvais is taken from the courtroom after being sentenced to 27 years for killing Det Anastasios Tsakos on April 27, 2021.@DetectiveMunro @BlueLivesNYC @NYPDHighway pic.twitter.com/hca9rfQzhm
— NYCPDPHOTOS (@NYCPDPHOTOS) February 21, 2024
Before Beauvais was convicted in October, prosecutors described in detail the gruesome crash that killed Tsakos.
“His organs and bones were crushed,” Assistant District Attorney Greg Lasak Jr. told the jury, according to the Post. “His leg was amputated. He landed 171 feet from impact.”
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“She left him there on the side of the road to die, without his leg,” he added.
Asked by the judge if she wanted to say anything before he handed down his sentence, Beauvais simply said, “I’m sorry,” CBS News reported. Beauvais had previously rejected a plea deal that would have sent her to prison for 16 years.
“My children don’t understand the permanence of death,” Irene Tsakos added before a courtroom filled with NYPD officers. “They were trying to figure out ways to bring him back somehow. Our son wanted me to get him a big kite so he could fly it high in the sky so his daddy could grab onto it and bring him back. He cried daily ’cause Daddy would never hold him again. He was only 3 years old.”
“Our 6-year-old daughter is a daddy’s girl,” she continued. “At night she would pray and promise to be very good if only he would bring her daddy back.”
Receiving the NYPD Medal of Honor (Posthumously) is Detective Anastasios Tsakos of Highway 3. His wife, Irene, accepted the medal on his behalf. Det. Tsakos was killed in the line of duty on 04/27/21 when he was struck by a drunk motorist. pic.twitter.com/9StrSKDYUo
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) June 7, 2022
Hank Berrien contributed to this report.
