A crazed Indiana cop in camouflage terrorized a pair of teens for mud bogging through an open field in a jeep Saturday, chasing them in a red truck before blocking their path, which was when the driver hopped out, wielding a gun before displaying a badge.
Merrillville police officer Gerry Croarkin proved to be a bullying asshole, to put it bluntly, because there are hardly any words that better describe him. At least none that nice.
The video speaks for itself. Just imagine how he acts when he doesn’t know he’s being recorded.
Prior to the video, Wyatt Coto, 17, was driving the jeep with his teenage friend in the passenger’s seat. They had heard of the field in their automotive vocational class because it was about 25 acres with no posted signs about it being private or ordering people not to trespass. And there are no fences either, a perfect field for mudding.
Or so they thought before they came across three men in camouflage who began chasing them in a red truck. The case last for a few minutes, less than 300 yards, when Croarkin pulled the truck in front of Coto’s jeep, forcing him to stop.
Croarkin yelled at Coto to hand over his keys, which he refused to do. That was when Croarkin yelled at one of his friends in the truck to hand him his gun, which he displayed towards the teens.
And that was when Coto began recording.
Croarkin, who was on the land hunting, accused Coto of being on the field without the owner’s permission, which was true considering he had never spoken to the owner, according to his mother.
But it was hardly the crime of the century.
Coto even offered to help Croarkin pull his truck out of the mud, where it had gotten stuck.
Because Croarkin was completely out of his jurisdiction, he had to call the Hobart Police Department, who sent another bullying asshole, this one named Kenneth Gagliardi, who ordered the teens out of the jeep, so he could impound it. Coto had to pay $260 to retrieve his jeep two days later.
Maria Coto, the teen’s mother, said they have filed complaints against both the Merrillville and Hobart police departments.
Hobort police told her they are investigating and will likely discipline Gabliardi, pictured above in a photo from [**his Facebook page.**](https://www.facebook.com/kenneth.gagliardi) They also said they are not going to pursue charges against her son.
Merrillville police have not responded to the complaint, but Croarkin, pictured below in a photo from [**his Facebook page**](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/494922253855774), revealing a man who spends a lot of time in camouflage, apparently still wants Coto charged.
Maria said she wants both cops to be suspended without pay until they have completed an anger management course and have the documentation to prove it. She also wants police to refund the $260 for the impounding of the jeep as well as a public letter of apology to her son as well as a promise no charges will be filed against him.
But she also understands they may try to retaliate against her son, which is why he will always have his Go Pro camera ready to record.
Call the Merrillville Police Department at (219) 769-3722 or leave a review on their [**Facebook page.**](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/494922253855774)
Call the Hobart Police Department at (219) 942-1125, which doesn’t allow reviews on its [**Facebook page.**](http://photographyisnotacrime.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/timeline)
