Guilty plea in stolen police cars spree

A Lehigh County man who with his girlfriend led police in Camden and Philadelphia on high-speed chases pleaded guilty Thursday to an array of charges in the three-day drug-fueled spree.

Wearing a bright-blue, long-sleeved shirt with matching tie, jeans, and black sneakers, Blake Bills, 25, of Macungie, said little, save for "Yes, sir," and "No, sir," in response to Common Pleas Court Judge Charles Ehrlich's questions.

On March 5, Bills and Shayna Sykes, 24, drove a stolen Camden police cruiser across the Ben Franklin Bridge and crashed it into a house at Seventh and Norris Streets in North Philadelphia. The episode was captured on video by television news helicopters and was shown live. Also shown was what happened afterward.

After Bills was apprehended, Sykes jumped into a Philadelphia police car and led officers on another chase. This one ended with Sykes' arrest a few minutes later more than a dozen blocks away, on the 1100 block of Hope Street in Northern Liberties.

Bills now faces sentencing on multiple charges, including recklessly endangering another person, fleeing police, driving under the influence, conspiracy, and theft. He faces 191/2 to 39 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 18.

On Monday, Ehrlich sentenced Sykes, 24, who has a toddler daughter with Bills, to three to eight years in prison.

But their saga is not done.

They both face numerous charges in New Jersey. A Camden police officer suffered a leg injury when he was struck by the stolen vehicle.

Officials said a woman in Philadelphia was knocked to the ground by the stolen Camden cruiser.

Assistant District Attorney Guy D'Andrea said Bills and Sykes "were on what appears to be a 72-hour-or-longer heroin and cocaine bender."

He said Bills admitted that he was using almost 30 bags of heroin per day at the time.

The pair were on a "three- or four-day crime spree, vandalizing stores, stealing items from stores, stealing civilians' cars and then going ahead . . . stealing a Camden County cruiser and a Philadelphia police cruiser," D'Andrea continued.

The couple "put every Philadelphian at risk," D'Andrea said, noting that the chase occurred about 10 a.m., a time when people were heading to work or school.

Defense attorney David S. Bahuriak said Bills pleaded guilty because he "decided to accept responsibility."

He said Bills' actions were the result of a "drug-induced decision that he regrets a lot and he wishes he could take back."

Asked about the pair being portrayed in the media as "Bonnie and Clyde," D'Andrea said:

"They're not Bonnie and Clyde, they're not Jack and Jill. They were two heroin addicts who behaved like heroin addicts."