MAN GETS 11-YEAR SENTENCE FOR SHOOTING, CRIPPLING DEPUTY

RACINE - The man accused of shooting a sheriff's deputy in the foot
two years ago was sentenced to 11 years in prison and more than 18
months in jail Friday.

Larry Dunkerly, 24, was charged with 13 felony counts after the 2003
raid on his apartment that left Deputy David Wawrzyniakowski with a
gunshot wound to his foot.

In September, a jury found Dunkerly guilty of maintaining a drug
trafficking place, possession of marijuana, possession of drug
paraphernalia and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a
child. He was found not guilty of two counts of first-degree
recklessly endangering safety of two sheriff's deputies, party to a
crime of manufacturing to deliver cocaine, maintaining a drug traffic
place for manufacturing and two counts of contributing to the
delinquency of a minor.

The jury was hung on charges of first-degree reckless injury,
first-degree recklessly endangering safety and child enticement to
give or sell drugs; his sentence includes jail time reached in a plea
agreement on these counts.

Dunkerly was living with his 16-year-old girlfriend at the time of the
raid.

Judge Dennis Barry sentenced Dunkerly Friday morning, saying that this
case must serve as an example.

"A message has to be sent to you and everyone else who wants to engage
in drug dealing and having a young lady live with you," Barry said.
"This has very serious consequences."

He called Dunkerly's version of what happened when the Sheriff's
Department broke down his door to execute a no-knock search warrant,
"laughable." Dunkerly said he armed himself after a robbery at his
apartment a few days earlier and that he did not hear deputies
announce themselves as law enforcement officers when they came into
the apartment. Dunkerly did not report the robbery to police.

"To say I couldn't call the police because my phone was broken but he
got word to his cousin to bring him a nice cannon, a pistol, it's a
joke," Barry said. "This isn't the wild west. This isn't Iraq. We're
not having hot lead fly all over the place."

Wawrzyniakowski and his wife Laura were in court Friday morning and
spoke prior to Dunkerly's sentencing. Wawrzyniakowski has had to
retire from the Sheriff's Department because of the injury to his
foot. One of the bones in his foot was shattered when the bullet
passed through it, and it was not able to be reconstructed. He still
has bone and bullet fragments in his foot, he said.

"At the end of August they determined I would be retired from the
force," he said. I worked very hard to get back to active duty. The
doctor said I have 50 percent loss of use and compared it to a partial
amputation of the front of my foot."

He said the shooting has cost him his career and the possibility of
promotion and caused significant hardship for his wife and family.

"None of this would have been necessary if Larry Dunkerly had not put
my life in danger by shooting me," Wawrzyniakowski said. "He should be
an example of what happens when you shoot a police officer or anyone
else."

Dunkerly's mother said while her son may have done wrong, he is a good
person, and urged the court to have mercy on her son. She said he has
had a fearful nature since he suffered a stroke at age 16, after he
was severely beaten following a quincenera party.

"I can see him on a lot of probation," she said. "I hope you find in
your heart some mercy for him to go on with his life. I just love my
son. That's all I can tell you. Please show mercy."

Dunkerly spoke as well, saying he was sorry for the effect of his
actions that night.

"I'm sorry he got shot 'cause of my actions," Dunkerly said. "I knew
it was wrong. I'm sorry I put his family through this 'cause of my
actions. I take my responsibility. I have to. I did wrong and I got to
deal with it and I'm sorry."