An Irwin man has pleaded guilty to breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s home, attacking her, stealing her car and then crashing it in an attempt to kill himself.
Robert William Dean Gross, 23, of 12345 Irwin Rd., Irwin, pleaded guilty Wednesday to four counts of felonious assault and one count each of burglary, aggravated robbery, strangulation and grand theft.
He is set for a presentence investigation. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 3. He faces as many as 62 and a half years in prison and a possible $110,000 fine.
On Aug. 8, the victim received a Snapchat message from Gross. She could tell from the background of the message that Gross was in her apartment.
The victim told police that blinds to her back sliding door were in disarray and broken, making it “probable” that Gross used that door to get in the home.
The victim contacted two friends to tell them that Gross was in her apartment. She was on a three-way video call with her friends when she arrived at home.
“When she got there, Mr. Gross allegedly met her in the parking lot,” Union County Prosecutor Dave Phillips said. “The woman was allegedly dragged from her car.”
Gross took the phone and told the friends he was going to kill them both.
“The victim attempted to take back her phone. Gross punched the victim in the face, knocking her to the ground, then smashed the victim’s Apple iPhone onto the ground destroying it,” according to court documents.
According to court documents, while the victim was on the ground, “Gross continued to punch the woman in the face.”
“She was beaten, rather severely, to the point of unconsciousness,” Phillips said.
Eventually, two men, one that had been called by the victim and another that saw what was happening, came to the woman’s aid and pulled Gross off her.
“Witnesses reported that, but for their intervention, that Gross would not have stopped striking the woman,” according to court documents.
One of the witnesses actually shot an airsoft pistol at Gross in an effort to protect the woman.
Gross then allegedly fled, taking the woman’s red Ford Fusion.
When police arrived, the officer saw two men kneeling on the ground next to the victim who was “not moving and was unconscious.”
“The officer observed intense bruising, blood dripping from her mouth and her eye was swollen shut,” according to court documents.
The officer said the victim regained consciousness but was unable to speak coherently. Witnesses were able to tell police what happened.
One witness followed Gross and saw him drive off the road and into a ditch.
Moments later, a Marysville Police officer saw the Fusion driving recklessly on Milford Avenue, just south of Kenny Lane.
Gross tried to hit the officer’s cruiser and “narrowly” missed it.
The officer was able to avoid the Fusion which continued south on Milford Avenue as, according to police, the driver continued to “flee at a high rate of speed.”
According to court documents, the car “struck a green pick-up truck, causing the vehicle to go off the roadway.”
“Gross admitted to intentionally striking the truck in an attempt to kill himself,” according to court documents.
As police were trying to catch the man, they saw the Fusion hit an oncoming semi head-on at Milford Avenue and Route 4.
The semi-tractor and trailer overturned, landing on its roof. The driver was able to escape the cab as diesel fuel leaked on him.
The semi driver did not report injuries at that time.
According to police reports, there was “heavy damage to the front of the Fusion. The truck went off the left side of the road and rolled over, coming to rest at the bottom of the embankment.”
When the car stopped, Gross was trapped inside the victim’s vehicle.
Police officials said the driver, Gross, was aware enough to be speaking at the scene. They described the man’s injuries as “severe.”
Gross “sustained significant injuries and was transported to a local hospital before being flown to a Columbus area hospital,” according to police reports.
The victim was taken to Memorial Hospital. The victim “suffered complex fractures of the maxillary sinus.”
At the time of the attack doctors said the victim would need to have her injuries surgically repaired. She was having blurred vision and headaches. Doctors said they would need to implant a titanium plate in her eye structure. The victim suffered at least one broken tooth.
Phillips said that when he and investigators had an opportunity to interview the woman, they learned of another incident.
“She identified a prior event, a strangulation that occurred July 17, when he allegedly strangled her, holding her up against the wall,” Phillips said.