A man has been sentenced to nine years in prison after he ran from officers and fought with them, injuring three, after they used GPS to track a stolen vehicle to the parking lot of a Crystal Lake store.
Wayne Mikulski, 46, of Monroe Center, was charged in May 2025 with possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a credit card, resisting a peace officer, child endangerment, obstructing a peace officer, unlawful possession of a knife and possession of a fraudulent driver’s license.
The Crystal Lake Police Department received information from the Chicago Police Department regarding the location of a stolen 2025 Dodge Durango on May 24, 2025.
The vehicle was being tracked through GPS and was in the parking lot of Best Buy, 5880 Northwest Highway in Crystal Lake, prosecutors said.
Responding officers arrived and found a female occupant seated in the passenger seat of the stolen vehicle. The driver’s seat was unoccupied.
Officers were investigating when Mikulski exited the Best Buy and saw law enforcement near the stolen vehicle, prosecutors said.
He immediately attempted to flee the scene but was quickly apprehended by officers.
Prosecutors said Mikulski actively resisted officers’ efforts to place him into custody, injuring three officers before finally being handcuffed.
A search of Mikulski revealed numerous items that did not belong to him, including credit cards issued to other people.
Officers also recovered methamphetamine from Mikulski’s person.
Prosecutors said the investigation established that Mikulski was knowingly in possession of the stolen Dodge Durango prior to entering the Best Buy.
Mikulski entered into a negotiated plea deal with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office on Thursday, court records show.
He pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen vehicle, a Class 2 felony, in exchange for the rest of his less serious charges being dismissed.
Mikulski was sentenced to nine years in the Illinois Department of Corrections by McHenry County Judge Mark Gerhardt pursuant to the agreement.
“As technology evolves, stolen vehicles are increasingly being located through sophisticated GPS tracking systems that provide law enforcement with real-time information,” McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi Freese said.
“In this case, that technology, combined with outstanding police work and interagency cooperation, led directly to the recovery of the stolen vehicle and the apprehension of the defendant. Criminals should understand that today’s technology makes it far more likely they will be found, arrested, and prosecuted,” Freese said.
Freese also lauded the Crystal Lake Police Department and the Chicago Police Department for their coordinated efforts in locating the stolen vehicle and apprehending the offender.
Mikulski is currently serving a more than eight-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections for aggravated fleeing to elude, mail fraud and forgery in Boone County. He is also serving separate sentences out of Lake County for identity theft, aggravated fleeing to elude in Ogle County and burglary in Cook County, among other charges.
In August 2024, Mikulski was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash in Gurnee. He was previously arrested near Lake Villa in March 2021 after being found with guns and a stolen vehicle, which prompted a standoff with police.