Posted on 06/30/2005 9:19:37 PM PDT by SmithL
Federal authorities contend this man was hell on wheels.
Christopher Alan Krajenke allegedly plotted to kill a deputy and a man he believed was an informant, hawked drugs, went armed, tried to outrun federal agents and grabbed for a weapon after authorities crashed his car to stop him - all while he was in a wheelchair.
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At a hearing in U.S. District Court on Thursday, authorities outlined a laundry list of reasons why they say Krajenke is too dangerous to go free pending trial on federal charges he was an armed drug dealer.
Before hearing that list, federal Magistrate Judge Clifford Shirley peered at Krajenke, paralyzed from the waist down, and then asked Assistant U.S. Attorney David Jennings for his position on whether Krajenke should be freed on bond.
"The government's moving for detention," Jennings said.
Shirley seemed surprised.
"Basis?" he asked.
For the next five minutes, Jennings reeled off alleged crime after alleged crime.
He started with Krajenke's two prior felony drug convictions, one of which he is still on probation in Michigan.
Next, he described how Krajenke came to be the target of a federal probe.
According to Jennings, the Union County Sheriff's Department had raided Krajenke's home in January, discovering marijuana and two guns. Krajenke was not immediately charged, however, Jennings said.
Two weeks ago, a "cooperating witness through an independent third party" contacted the U.S. Attorney's Office in Knoxville to report that Krajenke had solicited the witness in a plot to kill one of the deputies involved in the raid of Krajenke's home, Jennings said.
The witness told federal prosecutors that Krajenke also had made threats to kill a man he believed had served as the deputy's informant against him, Jennings told Shirley.
The FBI and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives then launched a probe to verify the witness's claims and investigate Krajenke's alleged drug trafficking, he said.
On Friday, authorities, including FBI agent David Bukowski and ATF agent Wade Moore, began following Krajenke as he drove - via hand controls - his Pontiac Firebird on Maynardville Highway. With help from local authorities, the agents tried to stop the Firebird, attempting to box in the car.
"He attempted to flee," Jennings said. "He was trying to make a U-turn (and) accelerated toward the agents."
Knoxville Police Department Investigator Todd Gilreath, who is assigned to an FBI task force, rammed the side of the Firebird, but Krajenke allegedly continued to speed up.
A vehicular shoving match of sorts ensued, with Gilreath's truck the ultimate victor as the Firebird was knocked off the roadway, Jennings said.
As agents surrounded the Firebird, authorities alleged Krajenke tried to reach for one of three guns he had stashed in the car. Jennings said one gun was loaded. The agents found ammunition for the other two guns and "narcotics" in the Firebird, he said.
Krajenke was taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center to be checked for injuries. Federal Magistrate Judge Bruce Guyton arraigned him in the emergency room, records show.
Assistant Federal Defender Paula Voss was appointed Thursday to handle Krajenke's case. She told Shirley she had not yet had time to talk to him about the government's allegations.
"Obviously he has a lot of medical issues," Voss said.
Shirley set a July 7 detention hearing. Voss said her client's bid for freedom may be "moot" if Michigan authorities violate his probation.
"Say hello to my little friend!!!"
Since in this case it was not enough to lop off (or to have disabled) the legs which carried the scoundrel, the hands which did evil are to be amputated next.
This reminds me of a local OG Crip I used to chase around back in the day. He wound up shot and paralyzed in a drive-by at least 10 years ago but that never slowed him down. He was fingered for helping out in a failed hit on an officer but there wasn't solid evidence to bring charges. Anyway, he was finished off in a second drive-by shooting while slinging crack from his wheelchair a couple months ago.
LOL That is just damn funny.
Good one!
Must be a mighty tall wheelchair.
LMAO!!
I happen to know how he became a paraplegic. He got into an accident on his motor cycle. The cop who found him on the side of the road left him for dead and never sent someone to come pick him up. He sued the state and won.
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