A man who destroyed a nearly completed home under construction in Idaho with an excavator stolen from his employer has been sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.
Following a four-day jury trial in May, Fred Joseph Kudrna IV, 30, was convicted of felony burglary and malicious injury to property, as well as two misdemeanors, second-offense DUI and operating a vehicle without the owner’s consent, according to the Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office.
He was sentenced August 3 by a District Court judge to 15 years in prison with parole eligibility after five years for the felony charges and was given credit for time served for the misdemeanors.
The incident occurred around 6 a.m. November 11 in a new residential neighborhood in Post Falls. Neighbors awoke to the sound of the excavator tearing down the house, which was under construction.
Neighbors saw the excavator driving away and parked in a nearby field. Kudrna was seen leaving in a black van.
Post Falls police stopped the van, and Kudrna “admitted to drinking several beers and a cocktail the night before,” according to the Prosecutor’s Office. He refused a field sobriety test and a breath analysis and was arrested for DUI.
Kudrna worked as a pipelayer for MDM Construction Group. He was not trained on operating an excavator and did not have permission to operate it.
Powered byPolice found Kudrna’s DNA on the excavator’s controls and got a warrant for his mobile phone provider. Phone location showed he was at the scene at the same time residents were calling 911.
“While sitting in the patrol car following his arrest, Kudrna rambled on about how he believed there were children and women being trafficked through underground tunnels in the neighborhood,” the Prosecutor’s Office said. “Fortunately, the home was unoccupied and had not yet been placed on the market, as it was days away from completion.”
At the time of his sentencing, Kudrna had been in jail for about nine months.
“While in custody,” the Prosecutor’s Office said, “Kudrna incurred several rule violations, including the use of controlled substances.”
He also has past convictions for burglary, DUI, possession of drug paraphernalia, trespassing, petit theft, resisting/obstructing officers and several probation violations.
The prosecutor had also sought restitution for the homebuilder, Sorbonne Homes, for $271,360.65; for the excavator’s owner, MDM Construction, for $2,809 in damage and lost revenue; and for the Idaho State Police Forensic Services for $2,000.
“Fortunately, the home was unoccupied and had not yet been placed on the market, as it was days away from completion.”Post Falls Police Department
