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CALEDONIA – A Caledonia man was accused of shooting a gun in his home during a drunken altercation after Saturday night’s Green Bay Packers football game.

The Racine County District Attorney’s Office charged Kurt D. Draeger, 59, of 2949 Cherry Tree Ct., with two counts of First-Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety, Criminal Damage to Property and Possession of a Firearm While Intoxicated.

According to the criminal complaint, Caledonia Police were called to Draeger’s home early Sunday morning. Both Draeger and his brother, identified in the complaint as KD, called 911 to report an altercation and that a firearm had been discharged.

Officers detained Draeger and learned that his brother, KD, and nephew, ND, were in the home’s basement and too scared to come upstairs. ND was “highly intoxicated” and transported to a local hospital for treatment and KD was transported to the Caledonia Police Department to speak with an investigator. Officers also located Draeger’s firearm in the residence.

KD told the investigator that he and his son, ND, went to Draeger’s home to watch the Packers game. He also stated that Draeger and ND “are both alcoholics” and that Kurt Draeger was already intoxicated when they arrived. After the game, ND made a comment to Draeger which resulted in an argument and shoving. Draeger then went upstairs and KD held his son back from following. KD told police that heard Draeger say “Call 911 if ND comes upstairs. I am going to shoot him.”

KD later peered around the stair banister and saw Draeger looking down the stairs holding a firearm with a red laser attachment. He said that Draeger pointed the gun at him and “the laser light appeared on his chest and body,” the complaint stated. KD then retreated and later heard what sounded like the gun dropping, so went back upstairs to see what was going on. He entered the kitchen and saw Draeger with the gun standing next to his wife. KD repeatedly told Draeger to put the gun down. When he took a step toward Draeger, Draeger fired a round in the floor toward KD’s feet. KD retreated back to the basement and called 911.

According to the complaint, Draeger’s wife told officers that prior to the gunfire, KD had his hands above his head “in a completely non-threatening manner.” Police found a hole in the kitchen floor and observed that the bullet punctured ductwork.

While Draeger was being interviewed at the Caledonia Police Department, he “began to yell and kick the metal desk in front of him,” the complaint stated. He left a dent and large shoe marks on the desk, which would cost an estimated $500 to replace. The criminal complaint noted that a breathalyzer test completed by Draeger showed a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .20 whereas the state’s minimum BAC to gauge intoxication is 0.08.

Drager was held in the Racine County Jail and made an initial court appearance on Monday afternoon where a cash bond was set at $5,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 2 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 711 Wisconsin Ave., Racine.

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Paul Holley is retired from careers in journalism, public relations and marketing but not from life. These days, he pretty much writes about what he feels like writing. You may contact him directly at:...