Commonwealth v. Dean Anton Vitasek; 14 Years to Serve for Wanted Man Who Assaulted, Disarmed Police

Virginia Beach, Va. – Colin D. Stolle, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the city of Virginia Beach, announced that Dean Anton Vitasek, age 33, formerly of the 800 block of Contrell Court in Chesapeake, Virginia, was sentenced on charges of Malicious Wounding of a Law Enforcement Officer, Assault and Battery of a Law Enforcement Officer (8 counts), Remove/Deprive Officer of Firearm or Stun Gun, Possession of Weapon by a Convicted Felon, Possession of Schedule I/II Drug, Obstruction of Justice (2 counts), and False Identification to Avoid Arrest.  Vitasek was found guilty of these charges by Circuit Court Judge Salvatore R. Iaquinto after a trial on July 2, 2024.  On November 4, 2024, Judge Iaquinto sentenced Vitasek to 65 years and 36 months with 51 years and 36 months suspended, leaving 14 (fourteen) years to serve.  This sentence exceeded the high-end of the Virginia State Sentencing Guidelines’ recommendation of nine (9) years and two (2) months to serve. 

The Commonwealth’s evidence proved that on May 6, 2023, a Virginia Beach Police officer observed the defendant driving a vehicle without a front license plate.  Before the officer was able to conduct a traffic stop, the defendant pulled into a 7-Eleven parking lot and began to enter the store, ignoring commands from the officer to stop.  The officer determined Vitasek was wanted for an outstanding capias.  When his sergeant arrived on scene, the two officers entered the store and attempted to take Vitasek into custody.  As soon as the first officer began to grab Vitasek’s wrist, Vitasek pulled away, stated that he had a gun, and grabbed for his waistband.  He began to fight the officers, saying multiple times that he would shoot them and kill them, and refusing to show his hands.  As the fight continued, the defendant spit blood in the officers’ faces, bit one officer, punched and kicked them, and attempted to disarm an officer of his Taser.  Both officers sustained injuries during this struggle, and it took multiple responding officers to finally subdue and handcuff the defendant.  No gun was found in Vitasek’s possession.

A search of his vehicle yielded narcotics, syringes with blood and residue, and a straw with residue.  Following his arrest, the defendant was transported to a local hospital for observation.  Upon his release the next day, while officers were transporting Vitasek from the hospital out to a police car, he tried to escape and had to be restrained.  He again fought with the officers, biting, scratching, and spitting on them.  Throughout his interactions with police, Vitasek lied about his identity, consistently providing a false name and date of birth.

Vitasek has prior convictions for Petit Larceny, Destruction of Property (misdemeanor, 2 counts), Grand Larceny – Attempt, Possession of Burglary Tools, Trespassing, Public Intoxication, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Schedule I/II Drug (2 counts), DUI, Grand Larceny, Obtaining Money by False Pretenses, Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer, and multiple probation violations and traffic offenses. 

Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Sara R. Chandler and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Robin D. Bland prosecuted this case. Please contact Macie Allen if additional information is desired.