A traffic stop involving an off-road motorcycle in Mendota, Illinois, escalated into a foot chase, two Taser deployments, an injured officer, and the discovery of a loaded handgun and suspected drugs, according to body-camera footage presented by the YouTube channel Midwest Patrol.
The incident happened on May 9, 2026, after officers recognized the rider as a man whose driver’s license was suspended. What began as an arrest for allegedly operating the motorcycle on city streets soon became far more serious after police said the suspect ran, discarded a backpack, and bit an officer during the struggle.
Throughout the encounter, the man repeatedly pleaded with officers to “work with me,” insisting that the motorcycle had not been running and asking for his father to retrieve it.
Officers refused, saying they had seen and heard him operating the bike before the attempted stop.
Officer Said the Motorcycle Was Running
Midwest Patrol reported that officers saw the man riding the off-road motorcycle on public streets and recognized him from earlier encounters.
Body-camera footage showed an officer confronting him in an alley and immediately telling him that his license was suspended.
The man denied riding the motorcycle and claimed he had only been walking beside it.
“It wasn’t on,” he repeatedly said.
The officer disagreed, saying he had heard the engine and watched the man shut it off.
When the suspect tried to call his father, the officer told him he was not simply receiving a citation. He was being arrested, and the motorcycle would be impounded.
That announcement appeared to trigger the struggle.
The officer repeatedly ordered him to place his hands behind his back and warned him not to run. Moments later, the confrontation moved out of view as the officer pursued him.
Foot Chase Ended With Tasers and a Struggle
Midwest Patrol said the man ran from officers and discarded a backpack during the pursuit.
An officer deployed a Taser twice, but later said the attempts did not immediately stop him.
The body-camera footage became chaotic as officers wrestled the suspect into custody. He complained that his hand or arm had been broken and repeatedly asked police to loosen the restraints.
One officer responded that the injury happened while he was resisting.
Police also accused the man of biting an officer during the struggle. The officer later displayed the apparent bite mark and repeatedly reminded the suspect that the encounter had grown beyond a simple dirt-bike violation.
“You bit me,” the officer said at the station.
The suspect denied doing so.
Running from police over a suspended-license arrest turned a relatively limited case into a dangerous physical confrontation. Even before the gun and drugs were found, the decision to flee had already exposed the suspect and officers to injury.
Police Found a Gun in the Discarded Backpack
After the arrest, officers began searching the route of the foot chase and looking for the backpack the suspect had allegedly thrown away.
One officer later reported that police found a firearm inside it.
According to the conversation captured on body camera, the weapon had a loaded 30-round magazine.
The officer summarized the incident for another responder by saying the suspect ran, was tased twice, discarded a backpack containing the gun, and bit him during the arrest.
That discovery changed the nature of the case.
A suspended driver operating an off-road motorcycle might ordinarily face traffic and licensing charges. A loaded handgun in a discarded bag introduced a serious weapons investigation, particularly because prosecutors later alleged that the suspect was not legally allowed to possess it under the circumstances.
Midwest Patrol also reported that police recovered a controlled substance, although the footage did not provide extensive detail about the type or amount.
The suspect’s repeated requests to “work something out” began before officers found the weapon, but continued as the situation became increasingly serious.
At one point, an officer asked whether he was trying to offer a bribe after the man mentioned having money.
The suspect denied that and said he was only asking police to reach some kind of arrangement.
Officers Said the Neighborhood Had Complained Before
During the vehicle impound process, officers discussed prior problems involving the motorcycle.
One said the suspect had been operating it recklessly around the neighborhood for months and that residents were tired of the noise and dangerous riding.
Another officer said the concern was not merely technical compliance with vehicle law. Someone riding an off-road motorcycle unpredictably on public roads could pull in front of a car and cause a deadly crash.
The driver of that car might then face an investigation despite having little time to react.
Police also discussed earlier uncertainty over whether another small motorized bike met the legal definition of a motor vehicle, but said there was no doubt about the off-road motorcycle involved in this stop.
The suspect continued insisting he had not been riding and said the arrest was happening “just for a bike.”
By then, however, the case involved allegations of fleeing, resisting, biting an officer, unlawful weapon possession, and drugs.
That contrast became one of the most striking parts of the footage. The suspect kept describing the encounter as a dispute over the motorcycle while officers were dealing with conduct that had moved far beyond the original stop.
Confrontation Continued Inside the Police Station
The man’s behavior remained combative after officers brought him to the station.
He complained of breathing problems and demanded an ambulance, which officers said had already been called. He also accused police of taking money and repeatedly challenged them to come closer.
At one point, he obtained a thumbtack or similar sharp object inside the holding area and refused to surrender it.
The footage showed him threatening to stab anyone who entered and suggesting that he might hurt himself so officers would be forced to take him to the hospital.
Police stayed outside the cell area and tried to convince him to put the object down.
The exchange became heated, with the suspect insulting officers and daring them to use a Taser. Officers warned that his refusal to cooperate was making it harder to arrange medical treatment safely.
This portion of the encounter illustrates how a custodial situation can remain dangerous even after a suspect has been searched and placed inside a secure room. A small improvised object can still become a weapon against staff or the person holding it.
Eventually, additional officers arrived to help restrain him so he could be evaluated.
Three Felony Charges Were Filed
Midwest Patrol reported that prosecutors initially charged the suspect with three felonies.
The charges were aggravated battery to a peace officer, aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, and unlawful possession of a controlled substance.
Aggravated battery to a peace officer was filed as a Class 2 felony, while the gun and drug allegations were filed as Class 4 felonies.
Prosecutors sought to keep him detained before trial, and a judge granted the petition to deny pretrial release.
A grand jury later indicted him on all three counts, and he initially entered a not-guilty plea.
The charges were allegations at that stage, but the case did not ultimately proceed to a full trial.
Negotiated Plea Led to a Four-Year Sentence
On July 16, 2026, the man entered a negotiated guilty plea, according to Midwest Patrol.
He pleaded guilty to aggravated battery to a peace officer and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon.
The controlled-substance charge was dismissed at the request of prosecutors.
The court sentenced him to four years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the aggravated battery, followed by one year of mandatory supervised release.
He also received a three-year prison sentence on the weapons conviction, followed by six months of supervised release.
The sentences were ordered to run concurrently, meaning they would be served at the same time rather than one after the other.
He received 68 days of credit for time already spent in custody and was ordered to pay $624 in fines and court costs.
What began with an off-road motorcycle on a city street ended with a state prison sentence.
The footage showed how quickly a manageable arrest can become much worse when a suspect runs, fights officers, carries a loaded gun, and continues resisting after reaching the station.
By repeatedly asking police to “work with me,” the suspect appeared to recognize that the situation was slipping beyond his control. But by then, the decisions made during the stop had already transformed a suspended-license case into multiple felony charges.
