CALEDONIA, WI – A man found hiding inside a cardboard box was charged by the Racine County District Attorney’s Office after he threatened to kill his roommate.
Jeffrey Czerniak, 39, of Campbellsport, was released on a cash bond after making an appearance Monday in Racine County Circuit Court. The Racine County District Attorney’s Office charged Czerniak with criminal damage to property with domestic abuse, disorderly conduct, and obstructing.
If Czerniak is found guilty of all charges, he faces up to 18 months in prison and fines up to $20,000. Because all three charges carry a repeater enhancement, he faces up to two more years in prison on each count due to a repeater enhancement.
According to the criminal complaint at approximately 11 p.m. on Feb. 22, Caledonia Police responded to a home in the 2900 block of Blue Jay Court for a report of someone trying to burglarize a home.
Officers determined that no one was around. But they saw a television on inside the residence. At 1 a.m. on Feb. 23, officers returned after a tenant said she saw a person inside the residence on her security camera.
During the investigation, officers identified themselves and asked that anyone in the residence come to the door. Officers found Czerniak hiding inside a box in the basement and took him into custody.
The woman who made the complaint told police that she and Czerniak lived together as roommates. On Saturday, Czerniak broke some furniture in the home, shoved the complainant to the ground and threatened to kill her.
Officers found multiple pieces of broken furniture inside the home.
Suspecting alcohol use, officers asked Czerniak to provide a sample at the Racine County Jail. Czerniak swore at the intake officer but was eventually medically cleared and take into custody.