Sterling man pleads guilty to attempting to hit Marengo cop car, gets 2 years of conditional discharge

A Sterling man was sentenced to two years of conditional discharge Thursday after pleading guilty to an amended indictment alleging he attempted to damage a Marengo police vehicle on Thanksgiving 2021.

Robert Burrow, 21, was initially charged with felony aggravated battery charges in connection with the Marengo incident and criminal trespass of a home in Crystal Lake.

Those charges were dismissed, and Burrow pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of attempted criminal damage to government property and resisting a police officer.

McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Ashur Youash said the police involved in the incident were aware of and in agreement with the terms of the plea.

Burrow also is required to pay about $2,160 in fines and fees and $1,270 in restitution. McHenry County Judge Michael Coppedge also sentenced Burrow to 22 days in the county jail, but with 11 days already served and Burrow required to serve only 50% of the sentence, the jail time was considered “satisfied,” Coppedge said.

He also is ordered to continue mental health treatment, according to court documents.

According to a criminal complaint filed by Crystal Lake police at the time of his arrest, Burrow entered a home in Crystal Lake without permission while someone was home and knocked over a bookshelf.

The homeowners told police they did not know the man and he left after they said they would call the police, police said.

As a Crystal Lake officer was responding to the home, he saw a vehicle matching the description provided by the homeowners driving away from the house and unsuccessfully tried to stop it, police said at the time.

Marengo police spotted a vehicle matching the Crystal Lake officer’s description a short time later, the Marengo police said in a news release at the time of his arrest. Burrow, who was driving, pulled up to speak to an officer and the officers tried to arrest him.

Burrow is accused of refusing to exit his vehicle and fleeing the scene, striking an officer before being arrested, Marengo police said.

The officer who was struck by Burrow’s car door did not need medical attention, Marengo police Sgt. Andrew Kjellgren said at the time.