Downtown Toledo building owner to go on trial; Withdrawal of ‘no contest’ plea allowed
12/6/2012The owner of the Spitzer Building has been allowed to withdraw his no-contest plea and instead will go on trial in Toledo Housing Court for alleged fire code violations in the historic building.
Judge C. Allen McConnell on Tuesday granted Koray Ergur’s motion to vacate the plea his former attorney entered on March 27 on his behalf to a misdemeanor charge of failing to obey an order to fix the fire alarm system in the building.
Judge McConnell sent the case to the assignment commissioner to set a trial date.
Mr. Ergur was released from the Lucas County jail on Tuesday by Judge McConnell with conditions that he report regularly to pretrial services. Mr. Ergur had been held in the jail in lieu of $25,000 bond since the judge ordered his arrest on Nov. 29 after he failed to appear for court dates.
Mr. Ergur is the head of the private equity group that owns both the Spitzer and the adjacent Nicholas buildings. Foreclosure actions on both historic buildings have been taken against Mr. Ergur in Lucas County Common Pleas Court.
A trial is scheduled for Tuesday in the foreclosure of the 10-story Spitzer Building.