Angela Wypasek named Wayne County prosecutor, replacing retired Dan Lutz

Bryce Buyakie, The Daily Record
·2 min read
Angela Wypasek was named the next Wayne County Prosecutor after receiving a majority vote from the Republican Central Committee Thursday evening.
Angela Wypasek was named the next Wayne County Prosecutor after receiving a majority vote from the Republican Central Committee Thursday evening.

WOOSTER − Angela Wypasek's shock was still settling in Thursday evening after she was elected to replace Dan Lutz as the Wayne County prosecutor at the local Republican Party Central Committee meeting.

The meeting at the Wayne Insurance Group building on Cleveland Road saw prominent county Republicans, including Wooster City Councilman Craig Sanders and Wayne County Auditor Jarra Underwood vote for a new prosecutor.

Swearing in:Timothy VanSickle takes oath as Wayne County Common Pleas judge

Court Administrator and staff attorney Oliva Boyer was nominated to run against Wypasek. Following two 20-minute executive sessions, the nearly two-dozen-person central committee voted for Wypasek.

Lutz retired at the end of 2022, leaving halfway through his term. According to state law, if a county prosecutor exits before their term expires, the political party they belong to votes for a replacement.

Wypasek served as his second-in-command as the county's first assistant prosecutor. She will complete the unexpired term of Lutz before a possible campaign in the 2024 election for her first full term.

Wayne County's search for a new judge of Municipal Court

When Wayne County Common Pleas Judge Mark Wiest retired last year, he left a hole that was quickly filled by Municipal Judge Timothy VanSickle.

That appointment left yet another hole in the Municipal Court. Because VanSickle's elected term had yet to expire, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine can appoint a judge to fill that position.

42 years of service: 42 years of service: Mark Wiest retiring as the longest-serving Wayne County judge

That's where the Wayne County Republican Party comes into play. Thursday evening the Central Committee heard from two candidates for the job — Russ Long of Crawford County and Nathan Shaker of Wayne County.

Following two more 20-minute executive sessions, the Central Committee voted to recommend Shaker as the next Municipal judge.

With 17 years of experience as a lawyer and nearly five as the Wayne County Municipal Court magistrate, he believes he is the best fit.

"It sounds like a generic answer but I want to do this so I can help people on the ground level of the law, and hopefully, help them before they move on to something more serious," Shaker said after his closed-door interview.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Angela Wypasek named Wayne County prosecutor, replaces Dan Lutz