A four-time felon, who is already serving a 20-year prison sentence for aggravated battery, was sentenced to eight years in prison Friday in connection with a 2018 Crete Township shooting.
Tomas Rekasius, 31, of Orland Park, was found guilty by Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak in a Sept. 21 bench trial of aggravated discharge of a firearm and armed habitual criminal, both felony charges, according to a news release from the Will County state’s attorney’s office.
On June 28, 2018, the victim, who Rekasius knew from prison, was pulling into his garage when Rekasius pulled into the driveway in a minivan, prosecutors said. The victim had been working on Rekasius’ Subaru Outback at the time, which was parked in the driveway, they said.
The victim walked over to Rekasius’ car and told him he needed additional parts to complete the repair job. Rekasius became upset and pointed a semi-automatic pistol the man, who put his hands up and said his child was home, prosecutors said.
Rekasius continued to point the gun at the man as he backed out of the driveway, according to the release. Rekasius drove off, but when he saw the man step into the street, Rekasius stopped the minivan, got out of the vehicle and fired a shot in the man’s direction before fleeing the scene, prosecutors said.
“We are fortunate that no one was injured when Rekasius fired shots from his weapon, but his conduct demonstrates that he is a dangerous and volatile loose cannon who needs to be behind bars,” Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow is quoted in the release. “The law-abiding citizens of Will County have an absolute right to be protected from indiscriminately violent offenders like Tomas Rekasius.”
Rekasius was previously convicted in Champaign County for manufacturing and delivering controlled substances, and he has a prior felony conviction for possession of controlled substances while on probation for another felony drug-related offense, according to the release.
At the time of this shooting, Rekasius was out on bond in Cook County for aggravated battery strangulation, for which he is now serving a 20-year prison sentence, according to the release.
Rekasius will not receive credit in this case for time served, according to the release, which means will begin his eight-year sentence after the completion of the Cook County sentence. He will have to serve 85% of the eight-year sentence and then serve three years of mandatory supervised release, or parole.
