By John A. Ballentine
TOULON – A 28-year-old Toulon man, currently incarcerated in the Bureau County jail on burglary charges in Bureau County, has pleaded not guilty in Stark County Circuit Court to two felony charges he faces here.
Andrew W. Szparkowski was transported to Stark County Court from Bureau County for a preliminary hearing last Friday. Szparkowski is charged with a Class 2 felony burglary for allegedly robbing the Toulon United Methodist Church. Class 2 felonies are punishable by up to three to seven years in prison.
Szparkowski could be eligible for extended sentencing, which would double the prison term to 14 years. He is also charged with a Class 4 felony aggravated fleeing of police/21 mph over the speed limit. That felony is punishable by one to three years in prison, which also could be extended.
Szparkowski is set for a jury trial on Aug. 3. Besides the two felony charges, he is charged with a Class A fleeing count and a misdemeanor for driving an uninsured motor vehicle.
It was on Dec. 21, 2019 that Szparkowski attempted to elude Stark County Deputy Sheriff Gary Bent who signaled Szparkowski to stop for a traffic violation. He sped through three Stark County townships before coming to a stop.
Szparkowski has a criminal history of burglary dating to 2016 in Stark County. Besides Bureau and Stark County burglary charges he faces, Szparkowski faces a burglary charge in Grundy County. His next court appearance in Stark County is March 27.
