(La Porte County, IN) - A man fled in a stolen vehicle through a Westville area tomato field but it didn’t take long for police to catch up.

 

John Skomac, Jr., 40, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with resisting law enforcement and criminal mischief, both level 6 felonies.

 

He could face additional charges of auto theft depending on the findings of the ongoing investigation.

 

According to court records, Westville Town Marshal Corey McKinney was investigating a report Monday about a Nissan Rogue being stolen overnight. Suddenly, the stolen vehicle pulling a four wheeler on a trailer passed him on 1100 South.

 

McKinney began pursuing and soon pulled behind the vehicle after the suspect turned into a driveway and stopped.

 

Skomac of Michigan City was repeatedly being ordered out of the vehicle at gunpoint when he stomped on the gas pedal and cut through a yard until entering the field, according to court documents.

 

Police said Skomac with the officer in pursuit was about 150 yards into the field when the vehicle he was driving became stuck in the soft ground.

 

He then fled on foot but stopped after running out of breath at Alida Road, police said.

 

Police said he refused commands to show his hands and lay on the ground, which forced the officer to strike him with metal probes fired from a taser gun.

 

According to court documents, the electric shock applied from the probes stuck in his chest and thigh failed to impact Skomac, though, who took off running again.

 

He was on the nearby CSX Railroad tracks when the officer pulled out his gun for a second time after Skomac reached into his pockets and refused to display his hands again.

 

After Skomac became districted, the officer pushed him to the ground and held him down until he was placed in handcuffs by La Porte County Police officer John Roby.

 

According to police, the tomatoes belonged to farmer Tyler Paarlberg and damage to his crop from the pursuit was estimated at $5,000.