Burglars’ victim unhappy with 16-year sentence

An assistant prosecutor said the robbers knew someone was home.

By ED RUNYAN

VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF

WARREN — A 52-year-old Bazetta man who suffered blows to the head with a metal pipe fighting two burglars in his mother’s house said 16 years in prison isn’t enough.

“This guy was trying to kill us. I think an example should have been made. I think it was too lenient with this guy,” Bruce Parks said outside the courtroom of Judge Andrew Logan in the Trumbull County courthouse Tuesday. Parks required six staples to close the laceration on his head.

Common Pleas Court Judge Logan had just given Dean Morrison, 51, of Wooster the same sentence as his accomplice, Daniel Rachel, 47, of Massillon.

Earlier, Helen Parks, 73, told Judge Logan the burglary and attack Oct. 31, 2006, has left her with frightening memories.

“Only the Lord knows how frightened I was as they threw me face down on the floor and proceeded to tie me up [with duct tape], and at one point I thought I was going to die when a hand was covering my mouth and then pinched my nose, too. I couldn’t breathe,” she said.

She suffered a broken foot, bruises and scrapes and spent two days in the hospital.

“These men showed me no mercy, and I show them none,” she said.

Morrison, who pleaded guilty to felonious assault, aggravated burglary, kidnapping and aggravated robbery in October, could have gotten as much as 46 years in prison. Prosecutors recommended 30 years.

Judge Logan said Morrison and Rachel committed “outrageous crimes” that need to be “dealt with appropriately.” He added that it “make a lot of sense” to give Morrison 30 years in prison but that fairness dictates less.

In a statement to the court, Morrison told Bruce and Helen Parks: “I’m very sorry, and I mean that.”

Bruce Parks came into the house — located on state Route 305 just south of Cortland — that afternoon to the sound of his mother’s voice: “Oh, God, please, Lord. Help me. Help me.” Parks said the two men were standing over her. One of them had his hand over her face, with him “not knowing if she was dying.”

Parks attacked the men, stabbing one through the shoulder with his pocket knife and stabbing the other two more times.

He then started to choke Rachel with his hands, as Morrison hit him with the pipe.

After several blows, Parks could feel himself losing consciousness and asked his mother for help. Mrs. Parks hit Morrison in the neck with a broom.

About that time, Morrison called out to Bruce Parks: “Truce. Truce.”

The two robbers left the home and fled in their car, only to be apprehended by Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers a short time later.

Bruce Parks said he advises anyone in a similar situation to go on the attack. “If somebody goes to kill you, go on the attack. Turn the circumstances around,” he said.

Chuck Morrow, an assistant county prosecutor, said that he heard Morrison say that he “didn’t mean for this to happen” but that it was a lie.

“They planned it during the daytime when Mrs. Parks was home,” Morrow said.

He added that if Bruce Parks “had not surprised you, we don’t know what would have happened.”

runyan@vindy.com