Zachary Springer

WARSAW — A two-day jury trial was vacated by the courts on Tuesday and replaced with a plea hearing Wednesday morning for Zachary Springer, 27, 6298 W. 850S. Claypool.

Springer was initially charged with robbery resulting in bodily injury, theft, and being a habitual offender, in relation to the Sept. 12, 2014, robbery of KeyBank in North Webster.

He entered a guilty plea to robbery resulting in bodily injury, a level 3 felony, in Kosciusko Superior Court 1. The plea agreement leaves the amount of jail time up to the judge, within the parameters set by statute, with any suspended time to be served on probation. Among the terms of probation is that Springer is not allowed to be on the property owned by KeyBank, and pay $9,000 in restitution as well as participate in a substance abuse program.

If the plea is accepted, he could face 3-16 years.

Additionally the plea agreement calls for his sentence in this matter to run concurrent (the same time) as the sentence received in a circuit court case of dealing in a narcotic drug within 1,000 feet of school property and possession of a narcotic drug with in 1,000 feet of school property, both class B felonies. A pre-trial conference on that case is set for 3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19.

Judge David Cates informed Springer, if the plea is accepted and because he is out on bond on the circuit court case, he may face the revocation of bond.

Springer was arrested on Sept. 20. Police reported it was determined Springer had initially placed a false telephone call the morning of the robbery, to Wawasee High School as a diversionary ploy. That telephone call caused the high school to be placed under lock down.  (See: UPDATE: Wawasee High School Under Lock Down) It is alleged approximately 22 minutes later, Springer entered and robbed the KeyBank along SR 13 in North Webster.

A second individual, Derek Bruner. 26, who was initially charged with felony assisting a criminal, obstruction of justice and theft, was sentenced on the obstruction of justice charge, a level 6 felony, on Dec. 23, 2014. He received one-year probation with the other charges being dismissed. The judge noted if Bruner did not “mess with this and are successful, the charge will be reduced to a class A misdemeanor.”

Springer will appear in court at 9 a.m. Dec. 17, to discover if the judge accepts the plea agreement and for possible sentencing.

Related:

• Update: Robbery In North Webster
• KCSD apprehends Alleged North Webster Bank Robber
• Money Recovered In Bank Robbery