Mokena Police Taser Man During Stolen Truck Investigation

A Mokena man was Tasered and tackled Friday for fleeing the area of a recovered stolen truck and charging an officer, according to .

A dark-green 1992 Chevy S-10 pickup was found in a ditch in the 19300 block of Schoolhouse Road with skid marks in the snow around 3 a.m.

Police then met with the truck's owner, who said he last saw his vehicle in his driveway around midnight with a set of keys in the ignition.

While patroling the area of the truck, officers spotted a man later identified as Daniel J. Bakalik, 36, of the 9800 block of Cambridge Drive, walking at Third Street and Midland Avenue. Police said he fled as officers approached and was chased on foot into an alley located in the 10800 block of First Street.

According to the police report, Bakalik then turned around and moved aggressively toward a police sergeant, who in turn fired his Taser. The probes struck and stopped Bakalik but had no electrical effect due to his heavy clothing.

Instead, the officer tackled Bakalik to the ground and held him until his fellow officer arrived, police said.

At the station, Bakalik told officers that he had been merely out for a walk and headed to Dominick’s to exchange the $62 worth of coins in his pockets.

When asked about the stolen truck, he was quoted in the report as saying, “You got nothing on me” and “You didn’t see me in the car.”

He was right. But police charged him with resisting a peace officer.