Man changes plea, another enters plea

VW independent staff

Two criminal hearings were held in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court Wednesday morning, with Judge Martin D. Burchfield presiding over both hearings.

Nicholas Fitzsimmons, 24, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer, a fourth degree felony, and OVI, a first degree misdemeanor. He then requested and was granted intervention in lieu of conviction on the first charge. His case was stayed pending completion of the treatment program and he ordered to pay court costs. He was sentenced on the second count to 20 days in jail with credit for seven days already served, two years of community control, a two-year license suspension, a $750 fine, court costs, and partial appointed counsel fees.

In a separate and unrelated hearing, Eric Orndorff, 42, of Lima, entered a not guilty plea to non-support of dependents, a fifth degree felony. He was released on a surety bond and a pre-trial conference was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. February 28.