BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—A jury was selected on Wednesday in the Crawford County Common Pleas Court to determine the guilt of Michael Goralczyk, a Michigan man charged with burglary. The incident occurred when Goralczyk broke a window pane and entered the home of his ex-girlfriend. If found guilty, he could face up to eight yearsa in prison.
According to Assistant Prosecutor Dan Stanley, Goralczyk had gotten into a fight with his girlfriend in mid-August. The couple had planned for Goralczyk to move from Michigan to Crestline to start a new life together, with Goralczyk entering rehabilitation for alcohol and drug addiction. However, on the morning of August 15th, an argument ensued when Goralczyk became angry that his girlfriend refused to buy him alcohol.
The police were called, and the girlfriend asked them to make Goralczyk leave. After speaking to the couple and realizing Goralczyk had no family in Ohio, the police asked if he could sleep in the garage. However, the girlfriend insisted that he leave. The police had Goralczyk pack his belongings and drove him to McDonald’s to arrange for a ride back to Michigan.
Shortly after the police left, Goralczyk returned to the girlfriend’s home and began pounding on her door. Despite her refusal to let him in, Goralczyk broke a window in the back door, unlocked it, and entered the house. He had cuts on his arm from breaking the window and claimed he wanted his phone charger.
During the trial, prosecutors presented testimony from Officer Durbin of the Crestline Police Department, Chief Deputy Chad Filliator, played 911 calls, and showed police body camera footage.
The girlfriend testified that Goralczyk had only been with her for about three days when the trouble started. She stated that she allowed him to go upstairs to retrieve his charger after he broke into the house, but she locked herself in the garage and called the police again.
Defense attorney Joel Spitzer aimed to portray a different picture of the couple’s relationship, emphasizing that they had planned to live together and had similar disagreements in the past. He argued that Goralczyk was invited to the house and therefore did not commit burglary.
The girlfriend admitted under testimony that their relationship was toxic and that Goralczyk had physically and emotionally abused her in the past. She also admitted to communicating with him after he was in jail, despite a court order for no contact.
The trial will continue on Thursday morning in the Crawford County Common Pleas Court.