'Loose Cannon' Orland Park Man Gets 8 Years In 2018 Crete Shooting

JOLIET, IL — An Orland Park man was sentenced Friday to eight years in prison for a 2018 encounter with a mechanic that resulted in a shot fired.

Tomas Rekasius, 31, of Orland Park, was found guilty in September 2022 of being an armed habitual criminal and aggravated discharge of a firearm after pointing a gun at a mechanic who was working on his car and firing a gunshot, which did not hit the victim.

On June 28, 2018, the victim, who Rekasius knew, was pulling a vehicle into his garage in Crete Township when Rekasius pulled up into the victim's driveway in a minivan with his girlfriend in the passenger seat, prosecutors said. The victim walked up to the vehicle and spoke with Rekasius. At the time, the victim had been working on Rekasius' Subaru Outback, which was sitting in the driveway, prosecutors said.

The victim told Rekasius that he needed additional parts, and Rekasius became upset and pointed a semiautomatic pistol at the victim, according to authorities.

The victim then put his hands up and told Rekasius that his child was there. Rekasius backed out of the driveway while pointing the pistol at the victim, prosecutors said. He began to drive, but after the victim stepped into the street, authorities said Rekasius stopped the minivan and got out of the vehicle. He fired a shot in the direction of the victim, prosecutors said, before getting back into his car and fleeing.

At the time of the encounter, Rekasius was out on bond in Cook County for a case in which he is now serving a 20-year prison sentence for aggravated battery/strangulation after an incident in 2017. Then 25, Rekasius led his girlfriend away with a shotgun and held her captive at his residence. She alleged he choked and bit her, then sexually assaulted her while she was sleeping.

Before that, he was convicted in Champaign County for the manufacture and delivery of controlled substances. He also has a prior felony conviction for possession of controlled substances while on probation for another felony drug-related offense.

"Rekasius is already a violent career criminal at the age of 31. Given his history of repeatedly breaking the law without compunction, it is no surprise that he committed further felonies here in Will County while out on bond," Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow 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. The law-abiding citizens of Will County have an absolute right to be protected from indiscriminately violent offenders like Tomas Rekasius."

Rekasius will not receive credit for time served because he currently is still serving his sentence in the Cook County case. He will begin the new sentence after completion of the Cook County sentence. It will be served at 85 percent. Rekasius also will serve 3 years of mandatory supervised release.