Police officer in Chester County convicted of wrongfully firing gun at car fleeing traffic stop

A police officer in Chester County was convicted Friday by a Common Pleas Court jury of wrongfully firing his gun at a car fleeing a traffic stop in 2021, the district attorney said.

Sgt. Anthony Sparano, 55, of Coatesville, was found guilty of recklessly endangering another person and “propulsion of missiles into an occupied vehicle,” Chester County District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe said in a news release. Sparano was found not guilty of simple assault.

The driver of the car, Takeshia Landry, now 44, was not struck by the bullet.

Vincent DiFabio, Sparano’s lawyer, declined to comment Friday night.

The website for the West Caln Township Police Department still lists Sparano as a full-time officer. Police Chief Curt A. Martinez could not be reached for comment.

“Shooting into a moving vehicle, as Sgt. Sparano did here, is strictly prohibited unless the officer reasonably believes that death or serious bodily injury may occur,” former District Attorney Deb Ryan said in 2021 when Sparano was arrested. “Even then, such an inherently dangerous step should only be taken after all other efforts have been exhausted.”

The events occurred about 12:30 a.m. Nov. 10, 2021. Landry was driving a white Chrysler 300 and allegedly made a left turn at a red light. Sparano stopped her on the 100 block of Octorara Trail Road.

During the stop, Landry was holding a camera and apparently trying to record Sparano, according to the criminal complaint filed against him. Sparano repeatedly asked for her license and registration, but she did not comply.

When Sparano then tried to open the driver’s door, Landry sped away.

Sparano fired one shot at the Chrysler 300, shattering the rear driver’s side window.

Sparano then got back in his police vehicle and pursued the Chrysler for about two miles before Landry stopped again.

In video shown during the trial, Sparano was seen struggling to remove Landry from the Chrysler and punched her, the Daily Local News reported.

Landry was taken to Brandywine Hospital to be treated for minor injuries and then was released.

Court records show the only criminal charge that was prosecuted from Landry’s arrest was for illegal possession of a firearm. In September 2022, Landry pleaded guilty to the firearms violation and was sentenced to a minimum of eight days of incarceration up to a maximum of 23 months, according to court records.

The Daily Local News reported that Landry served probation.

Landry testified this week that she was driving that night from her home at the time in Ohio to Washington, where she intended to tell the FBI about “police misconduct” against her in her hometown, the Daily Local News reported.

She testified that as she was driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike that night, tractor-trailer drivers were flashing their high beams at her to try to cause an accident. She testified she got lost in Chester County because her GPS had been hacked, the Daily Local News reported.