Five Year Prison Term for Effingham Man for Aggravated Battery of Officer

Effingham resident Marcus Pocrnich was sentenced to five years in prison Monday for aggravated battery of a peace officer.

Just after midnight on June 27, a District 12 Illinois State Police trooper was partcipating in a Roadside Safety Check when he observed a pistol between the driver seat and console of a vehicle that he was checking. The trooper attempted to gain control of the firearm after Pocrnich allegedly refused to comply with the trooper's command and locked his door. A brief struggle ensued between Pocrnich and the trooper. Pocrnich reportedly grabbed the trooper's arm and accelerated, driving away and dragging the trooper approximately 25 yards down the road before the trooper was able to free himself. Police say Pocrnich ignored the trooper's commands to stop and continued to drive away at a  high rate of speed. State Police troopers, along with officers from the Effingham County Sheriff's Office, the Effingham City Police Department and the Jasper County sheriff's office pursued the vehicle before eventually taking Pocrnich and others in the vehicle into custody.

The trooper sustained non life threatening injuries and was treated at a local hospital then released.

Pocrnich will serve one year of mandatory supervised release once out of prison.