Rural Rantoul man charged with stealing truck, resisting police
Mar. 22—URBANA — A rural Rantoul man who allegedly stole an acquaintance's truck and hit other vehicles with it, then fought with police, was criminally charged Wednesday.
A Champaign County Sheriff's deputy's report said Robert H. Wankel, 59, of County Road 2000 East, went to the home of people in rural Ludlow that he knew about 6:20 p.m. Tuesday asking for help because he ran out of gas.
While the resident was getting dressed to assist Wankel, he heard his own truck start and discovered that Wankel was taking off in it without permission.
The resident had left his keys in the console.
Police were alerted to the theft and, just before 9 p.m., learned that the truck had been involved in a hit-and-run at Pipa's Pub in the 600 block of Country Fair Drive, Champaign.
The report said Wankel had been in the bar trying to barter for a shot of whiskey. When he was refused, he angrily left in the truck, hitting two parked vehicles in the parking lot and dragging a planter behind the truck, the report said.
Champaign police officers followed him until he hit and got stuck on a retaining wall in the 2000 block of West Springfield Avenue, then got out of the truck and ran.
When officers caught up to him, he refused their orders and was tackled. He allegedly struggled against three officers who were trying to get him into custody.
One officer was hit in the face and received cuts to his forehead and nose from scraping it on the ground while wrestling with Wankel.
Wankel was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and resisting a peace officer.
Court records show Wankel had a single prior conviction for battery in 2018 and is currently the subject of two orders of protection.
Judge Brett Olmstead set his bond at $10,000 and told him to return to court April 19.
