MAN CONVICTED ON DRUG CHARGES AFTER INCIDENT IN WHICH DEPUTY WAS SHOT

RACINE - A man charged with shooting a former Racine County Sheriff's
deputy in the foot may go to prison - but not for shooting the deputy.

A jury brought back a mixed verdict late Friday night against
24-year-old Larry R. Dunkerly in the 13 felony counts filed against him.

He was charged with shooting the deputy while the Metro Drug Unit
raided his apartment in 2003. Dunkerly claimed he fired at the deputy
because he believed someone was breaking into his apartment. Officers
found drugs in Dunkerly's apartment following the raid, which left
Deputy David Wawrzyniakowski with a foot injury that would eventually
force him to retire.

The jury convicted Dunkerly of maintaining a drug trafficking place
for use, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia,
and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a child.

Dunkerly 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
traffick place for manufacturing, and child enticement to give or sell drugs.

The jury was hung on the charges of first-degree reckless injury,
first-degree recklessly endangering safety and child enticement for
sexual contact.

Dunkerly remained in custody at the Racine County Jail. A bail bond
hearing is set for 8:30 a.m. today in Racine Circuit Judge Dennis
Barry's courtroom.

Dunkerly allegedly shot Wawrzyniakowski on Dec. 12, 2003, while a
no-knock search warrant was being executed at Dunkerly's home in the
1700 block of Erie St.

Dunkerly's trial lasted more than a week. He endangered the safety of
the three other officers who were standing behind Wawrzyniakowski
when Dunkerly began shooting, said Sharon Riek, assistant district attorney.

Dunkerly has said he only shot at the officers because he believed
they were burglars. Dunkerly had been robbed a few days prior, his
attorney said.

The District Attorney's Office will retry the three charges on which
the jury could not reach a verdict, said District Attorney Michael E.
Nieskes Monday.

A status conference to set a new trial date will be held on Oct. 7. A
sentencing date has not been set.