Glendale Heights bank robbery suspect arrested in Carpentersville

A man suspected of robbing a bank in Glendale Heights on Monday morning was arrested later that night after he punched a police officer in Carpentersville, authorities said.

Robert C. Garcia, 30, of the 100 block of Gladstone Drive in Glendale Heights, was stopped about 11:15 p.m. Monday after police clocked him going 65 mph in a 35 mph zone on Route 25, Carpentersville police Cmdr. Tim Bosshart said.

During the stop, Garcia told the officer, “Don’t you know who ... I am?” and made other irrational statements, Bosshart said. “Apparently, he was proud of the fact that he was Robert Garcia,” Bosshart said.

Carpentersville police already had information, along with a photo, that Garcia was the suspect in the bank robbery, Bosshart said.

The officer told Garcia to step out of the vehicle and Garcia then punched the officer in the face and began wrestling him, Bosshart said. Another unit responded and Garcia was hit twice with a Taser. The first time the Taser did not work properly, he said.

Garcia was charged with aggravated battery and resisting/obstructing a police officer, Bosshart said. Both Glendale Heights and the FBI were notified of the arrest, he said.

Garcia appeared Tuesday morning in Kane County bond court where his bail was set at $75,000, court documents show. He is next due in court April 17. He was still being held in Kane County jail on Tuesday evening, Kane County Lt. Pat Gengler said.

Glendale Heights Sgt. Larry Pincsak said he expected Garcia to be formally charged in relation to the bank robbery on Wednesday.

The Chase Bank branch at 2150 Bloomingdale Road was robbed about 10:20 a.m. Monday. The suspect escaped with an undisclosed amount of money after telling a teller he had a weapon.

Someone matching the suspect’s description also robbed a nearby convenience store about 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Glendale Heights police said.