By MIKE JOHNSON, Staff
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Waukesha, Wis. — A New Berlin man is suing Waukesha County and its work-release jail, contending that his left big toe had to be amputated because jail staff would not let him wear orthopedic shoes prescribed because of his diabetic condition.
Warren J. Krohn, who is in the Huber work-release facility in connection with the theft of natural gas, says in the suit he was required to wear the jail’s standard-issue footwear. As a result, in August he began experiencing leg pain and ultimately developed blisters on his foot, the suit says.
The suit, filed Thursday in Waukesha County Circuit Court, says Krohn immediately told Huber authorities about the problem but staff denied him permission to wear the medically prescribed shoes.
He is seeking unspecified damages from the county, including for his “past, present and future pain and suffering,” the suit says.
Waukesha County Corporation Counsel Thomas P. Farley was unavailable to comment Thursday.
Krohn’s toe was amputated Sept. 10, the suit says, and he needs ongoing medical care, including additional surgeries.
Krohn is serving a nine-month sentence in the work-release facility after he was convicted in July 2007 of felony theft of natural gas from We Energies. He began serving the sentence in March but had previously been held at times in the work-release facility.
The 68-year-old Krohn came to authorities’ attention when an acquaintance who knew about his illegal gas hookup sent We Energies a letter reporting that Krohn was laughing about heating his in-ground pool and outbuildings at his W. Coldspring Road residence at a reduced cost “for over 20 years,” according to court records.
We Energies has filed a lawsuit against Krohn seeking to collect at least $100,000 from him.
We Energies contends in the suit filed last month that an illegal gas hookup bypassed Krohn’s meter; the hookup heated a garage, pool house and pool; and Krohn consumed more than $128,000 in unbilled gas from 1974 to 2005.
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