Post-Crescent - Crashed computer boots local man int By John Lee
Post-Crescent staff writer
GRAND CHUTE — Since January, Gary Wilke has felt more than a little frustrated with his daughter’s $2,600 computer.
He took it back to the store he purchased it from — five times.
There’s been a new hard drive installed, a four-hour home visit from a computer technician and problems such as no sound and the inability to “burn” CDs, said Wilke, N512 Sonny Court, Appleton.
The computer still wouldn’t boot up when he got it home from the shop Friday.
When he went back Monday, he took the machine and told the staff he would take care of it.
He put the computer processing unit in the foyer of the store, went to his car, got what witnesses described as a “large sledgehammer” and pummeled it.
Wilke denies reports from a store employee that he used profanity.
“I didn’t want to cause any trouble,” he said. “I wasn’t there to harm anybody.
“I said, ‘Have a good day,’ and I left.”
Later, he was arrested at his home by Outagamie County deputies, and turned over to Grand Chute police.
They jailed him, and he was released later Monday after posting a $150 bond for disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor charge.
Kasey Marx, the manager of Gateway Country, 728 N. Casaloma Drive, where the incident occurred, declined comment.