Grafton man pleads no contest, accused of dumping nails onto roadways
Theodore Drazovic
GRAFTON, Wis. - Theodore Drazovic of Grafton was accused of dumping nails onto roadways, causing damage to dozens of vehicles from May through December 2020. On Monday, Dec. 13, Drazovic pleaded no contest to five misdemeanor charges against him in Ozaukee County court.
According to online records, the court on Monday found Drazovic guilty, but not guilty due to mental disease or defect. The court ordered conditional release and DHS to complete a conditional release plan.
According to a criminal complaint, since late spring of 2020, an unknown person has been placing nails and screws at various intersections within Ozaukee County. The complaint notes 20 separate reports of nails being found on roadways in Mequon.
Separately, Grafton police noted "48 reports of criminal damage to property, from citizens, involving tires that were either damaged or replaced totaling $7,217.78 worth of damage. Several more went unreported."
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The complaint says many of the victims that reported damage to their vehicle tires could not identify specifically where the damage occurred. However, they noted they traveled on roadways where several nails and screws were found in the roadways by the Grafton Police Department.
The complaint goes on to say that on Dec, 28, Grafton police received "a report from an employee at the Grafton Ace Hardware saying Theodore Drazovic had purchased two boxes of nails." At the same time, another officer was collecting nails from the intersection of Lake Shore Drive and Ravine Drive. The nails "appeared new and unused."
A short time later, a Grafton officer located Drazovic's vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. The complaint says "Drazovic was in possession of an empty box of two and a half silver roofing nails." When initially questioned about the nail incidents, he "denied being involved."
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Investigators say they secured surveillance video showing Drazovic purchasing roofing nails from the Mequon Ace Hardware.
On Feb. 5, 2021, a detective met with Drazovic, the complaint says. At that time, Drazovic "admitted that he was the source of these nail incidents. Drazovic stated that it was not his intent to damage other people's cars, but rather he believed that people were following him and that he would throw these nails out of his car when he felt threatened by them."
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