Mokena Man Threatens Frankfort Couple and Dog With Circular Saw

A Mokena man threatened his Frankfort neighbors and their dog with a circular saw Sunday, claiming the dog's barking was upsetting him, according to a Will County Sheriff's Office report.

Richard D. Zmolek, 50, of the 19500 block of Catulpa Street in Mokena, was charged with assault and brought to a county holding facility in Crete. He was released on a $1,000 bond, and his court hearing is scheduled for May 12.

Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer said deputies responded to a call from the couple, who live in the 19000 block of Walnut Street in Frankfort. According to reports, the couple said Zmolek came outside in the backyard directly behind their house and yelled, "Let your dog out! I'm going to cut his head off! I'm going to cut your heads off too!"

The couple said Zmolek had an extension cord with a circular saw attached to it running from his garage to the corner of his property, according to Hoffmeyer.

When deputies arrived on the scene, they found the saw and extension cord in the backyard and spoke with Zmolek, who said all the dogs in the neighborhood were a problem, barking all hours of the day and night, according to Hoffmeyer. He told deputies that if the owners weren't going to deal with it, he was going to take care of it, according to the report.

The couple said this wasn't the first time Zmolek threatened their dog, according to Hoffmeyer. But Sheriff's Office records show this was the first time the couple had called or filed a report against Zmolek.