Kevin Krugel, 31, of Antigo is being held in Lincoln County Jail
on charges of first degree wreckless homicide and delivery of a
controlled substance. Mr. Krugel is being charged in relation to
the death of Nicole Hedges, 29, of Tomahawk.
According to news reports from Antigo Daily Journal and Local
News Channel 7, Kevin Krugel had supplied Nicole Hedges with
heroin, which was ruled later to be the cause of her death.
I never thought I would see the day that heroin would be a
problem in our area. I understand that there has been a major
problem with prescription drugs, and apparently that is how the
heroin problem began. The street cost of prescription drugs is
far more than that of heroin, but the effects are similar. Another
issue being that doctors are becoming aware of such addiction
problems and are curbing their prescriptions. This means less
prescription drugs on the street and more people looking for other
ways to get that “high”.
It is very disturbing to think about a drug as potent and dangerous
as heroin being in and around Antigo. The younger generation
will tell you that it can be found “everywhere”. You can also tell
by the waiting lists to get into programs like the Suboxone clinic,
which is an outpatient rehab-type program here in Antigo. The
program uses the Suboxone drug which works as an opiate-blocker
to help addicts stop using opiate-based drugs. This is a
controversial system as some people think you can’t help someone
by using one drug to replace another.
How does a small community like Antigo put a stop to such drug
use? It is sickening that it takes a death of a young lady in
order to open people’s eyes to it!
Antigo Daily Journal story
http://antigodailyjournal.com/full.php?id=8584
News Channel 7 Story
http://antigodailyjournal.com/full.php?id=8584
***************UPDATE 7/14/09*************
According to court records, Lincoln county judge today
has lowered Mr. Krugel’s bond. It had been set as
$240,000 cash & $10,000 signature, but has now been
reversed to $10,000 cash and $240,000 signature.
It was previously reported that a local site stated
that Krugel had been released on bond and that
story has now been changed to say that the bond
has not yet been posted. WAOW has not acknowledged
it’s misreporting.
***************UPDATE 12/07/09*************
According to the Wisconsin Court site, Mr. Krugel’s bond
has now been lowered to a $50,000 signature bond and he
has been released to his parents custody. An electronic
monitor is being used & he is not to be using alcohol or drugs.
********UPDATE – Related Information 02/06/10*********
A Marathon County man has now been charged on a
Federal level for his involvement in this case. According
to Wausau Daily Herald’s article, Richard Crayton has
been charged & could face life in prison. You can read
the ARTICLE HERE.
**************UPDATE 02/12/10*******************
According to court documents & WSAW News Channel 7,
Kevin Krugel has plead Guilty to the charges. There is a
scheduling conference set for 02/25/2010. He remains
out on bond. You can read WSAW’s article HERE.
.
Drug use is the scourge of our youth. How can we control it?
Interdiction (intercepting smugglers and suppliers) is necessary, but wholly insufficient. In fact, interdiction programs hardly make a dent in the supply. Jail terms are useless — too after-the-fact, a temporary punishment where what’s needed is permanent rehabilitation. “Just say no” is laughable. D.A.R.E., when the research data is in, does more to make the organizaers feel good than it does to prevent drug use.
What’s needed is, in the short term, education, and in the long term, legalization (decriminalization) of drug use so its manufacture and distribution is taken out of the hands of criminals. I don’t expect to see decriminalization of drug use any time soon in this country, but we’ll have it by the end of the century for sure.
In the meantime, what about education? Traditionally, crusading small-town newspapers take up causes for the good of the community, and battle against crime and injustice. But where are the editorials, the exhortations to action, the investigative reporting, the awareness-raising articles on causes and effects and dangers of drug use? How will the public learn of the incursion of sickness and crime that drug use is bringing into our community, if the alleged “voice of the community”, the Antigo Daily Journal, clings to low-level tunnel-vision boosterism, persistently claims “all is well”, and asserts that burning a pile of marijuana plants is proof that the economics of the area are stronger than the empty storefronts and vacant businesses indicate.
“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” (Edmund Burke).
“The surest path to oblivion is marked by stains of ignorance.” (Albus)
Credit where credit’s due — The Antigo Daily Journal actually published an editorial on this topic, “Heroin, once a ghetto problem, comes to smaller towns, including Antigo”, on June 8, the “Commentary” page.
I was stunned by the ineptitude of the piece, and hereby nominate it for the Albus 2009 Bad Writing Award. The second sentence is, “Three people who had tasted the illegal drug discovered its risks, and were brought back to life either by law officers or medical personnel here.” Wow. Miracles in our midst….
The editorial call to action concluding this travesty of mawkish journalistic floundering is, “Our message is that heroin is here, is extremely addictive and there are people in Langlade County willing to use it and sell it. Noting the consequences of that use, we suggest that anyone seeing activity pertaining to heroin contact the Langlade County Safety Building at 627-6411. The call may save someone’s life.”
Ah-HAH! The miracle worker is a talking building! This could be a bigger tourist attraction than even the trained lion act on Hwy 52!
U Albus if u could do so much better then y didn’t u take the reporters job at the ADJ? i could care less at how its stated because i understood what they were meaning at least they touched on the subject. more needs to be done maybe donate some of your time instead of nit picking a newspaper article. I hope to see these guys punished to the fullest extent, make an example out of them. good riddance to the Antigo Trash that use it.
Get a life Albus! That IS what it’s called…The Langlade County Safety Building! Because it houses both the Police and Sheriff’s Dept so if they would have said call the Sheriff’s dept, you would have nit picked it and said the police work there too or vice versa. If you are so observant then you would have noticed that’s what it says on the outside of the “Safety Building” Do you have to nit pick everything?
Do I have to nit-pick everything? No, just the nits. Maybe some of the nit-wits, as well….
My point is that there are a lot more things to do about protecting citizens from a drug-culture onslaught than merely calling a municipal building if you see a comatose body with a needle sticking out of its arm.
In my opinion, our community deserves a more action-oriented, coherent, perceptive, and language-adept voice than the one provided by the Antigo Daily Journal. However, I can see that it would not be difficult to argue the opposing view.
All nit picking aside, a young woman is dead and a young man may spend the rest of his life in jail. Heroin is something I really never thought I’d see as a problem in a small town like Antigo. I cannot begin to imagine what the parents and families of these two are suffering. I happen to know Mr. Krugel’s family and they are very nice people. It’s hard to fathom that their son could be involved in something like this. It’s a heartbreaking story and I’m just very sad for everyone involved.
Lincoln County drug arrests this year are up 100% over last year, according to the Wausau Daily Herald. The chief drug enforcement officer says that arrests are not enough. They need more education, and “affordable rehabilitation services”. Anyone care to assess the education and rehabilitation services capacity of Langlade County?
To all you who are so conserned about the nit picking about what to do and who did what or who didnt do what or who wrote what. Sometimes we all need to open our eyes and step up and help people with durg problems. Maybe then the durg problem in this world would go away. Do you really think people are one a quest to become drugies. No their people who need help. It is a addiction that is out of their controll. I know because I tried to help the young lady that died. She was very close to me and I hurt everyday because we lost her. We did see the signs and got her to get help. Its just to bad that Kevin had to get involved the wrong way if he would of left her alone in rehab she would of got the help she needed and still would be alive today. I’m sorry I feel that he needs to go to jail for life but I do at least hes still alive and his family can go to jail and see him. Nicoles three little girls can only look at pictures. They are 8,7, and 5 do you think they will remember their wonderful loving mother at that age.
A wonderful loving mother, out shooting up heroin with two other guys. Whoah, thats some traditional motherly love right there if you ask me! Get a clue people…Really
heroin addict does not equal a wonderful, loving mother. attitudes like that are what makes the problem worse. Its horrible the kids are now without a mother. Of course, maybe they have a chance now.
there are services available for drug addicts, it is their choice not to seek them out. Have you ever tried to help out someone with a drug problem? They need to want the help, otherwise there is not a whole lot you can do to help them.
don’t forget he has two little boys too
The man who has testified several times against Mr. Krugel is losing his credibility on the stand, as he has been found several times OD’ing on intravenious drug use. This trial may turn out to be a suprise for some. One must compare the criminal histories of both men. Gulity is guilty, but who is the man that really needs to be behind bars??
both of them they are both criminals and liars, they have no place in society
Hey nobody forced her to take the drug, that was a personal decision, its not only the dealers but the addicted that need to take responciblility for there actions……..
I cant belive you all really think or thought that drugs arent apart of every day life in antigo its been going on for decades, its just most of the people want to play deaf dumb and stupid when it comes to the different drugs that filter through every day. come off it I would bet my paycheck that atleast 1/2 the people under the age of 30 smoke weed on a daily to weekly basis and if their not getting high there at a bar getting drunk to drown out the sorrow of having to live in a god forsaken place. to the people who think antigo is suppose to be this quite quaint town, well its not, its just a big black hole waiting to suck in its next victim!!!
I cant belive you all really think or thought that drugs arent apart of every day life in antigo its been going on for decades, its just most of the people want to play deaf dumb and stupid when it comes to the different drugs that filter through every day. Come off it I would bet my paycheck that atleast 1/2 the people under the age of 30 smoke weed on a daily to weekly basis and if their not getting high, there at a bar getting drunk to drown out the sorrow of having to live in a god forsaken place. to the people who think antigo is suppose to be this quite quaint town, well its not, its just a big black hole waiting to suck in its next victim!!! I agree with the last person, no one forced her to take the drugs. Its all about commen sense if you have ANY you know not to put that crap in your body, and if your week minded well into the black hole you will fall.
Just a thought, how about giving the youth an alternative entertainment. There seems to be a lack of things for them to do.
First off, northern Wisconsin, and when I refer to that I mean anywhere north of Dane county, have absolutely no idea how to deal with opioid addiction, and how to de-stigmatize those who use it. Heroin is very prevalent in south-central Wisconsin, and is making it’s way up north. I-90/94 is a major gateway for the trafficking of all drugs, but particularly heroin, and cocaine. It’s funny that so many people in this area are so misinformed. Many act like heroin poses more risks that morphine, methadone, oxycodone/contin, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, fentanyl, etc. These are all respiratory depressants, and they are all equally dangerous if not used with discretion. Heroin absolutely will become more prevalent in this area, and farther up north. Instead of acting like uneducated fools, and stigmatizing those who use heroin, and other opioids, you need to change your mindset. Drugs will not go away, and incarceration is not the answer. I do not agree with the current laws in regards to homicide charges related to deaths from drugs. The user chose to buy the drugs, and dosed themselves. They either were aware of the risks or should have been. A smart user would make sure to have Narcan (naloxone), which is an opioid antagonist, or reversal agent, used in the case of overdoses. Opioid addiction, as well as other drugs in general, doesn’t have a particular type of person it effects. The poor, rich, educated, uneducated, etc. are all equally at risk. Harm reduction is what is key. Providing a needle exchange program, and naloxone, free of charge is a monumental step forward. Yes, there are options for those who are addicted, inpatient and outpatient, particularly in the form of methadone, and Suboxone (burprenorphine/naloxone); however, these are both very expensive treatments. Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) can only be provided by special clinics, and there are very few in Wisconsin (Wausau, Beloit, Madison, Milwaukee, Waukeshau). For the first 90 days, the patient must come in everyday, and if after this probationary period the patient as followed all guidelines, which mean meeting with counselor(s) once a week, attending clinic meetings, and not showing up for amphetamines, morphine based drugs (and depending on past opioid use, oxycodone, hydrocodone, etc), benzodiazapines, marijuana, and PCP, and after finding a proper dosage (which is quite hard because there is generally only one doctor at MMT clinics, who is there once a week, and is generally booked solid for weeks on end, and is the only one who can write an order to increase or decrease a dose), can qualify for phasing, which means a patient can get take home doses. In Wisconsin, it goes up to phase 5, which means a patient comes in every two weeks, takes a dose in front of a dosing nurse, and then gets two weeks worth of take homes; however, once a patient goes from phase four to phase five they have what’s called a callback, and the period changes from once every 90 days, to once a month. For those who don’t live in a town that has an MMT clinic, they may have to travel any distance, some people travel two hours daily, on top of the approximately $100 per week fee for the methadone. This is a very costly form of treatment; however, it can be very effective. Yet, until laws change in this state, and on a federal level, so that patients can go to a local pharmacy to get there doses, it becomes very hard for many to get treatment. Suboxone, or buprenorphine with naloxone, is also very costly and can only be prescribed by doctors with special training, and there is a very limited amount of them in this state. Almost all of these doctors are cash only doctors, have an initial intake fee which can be $300+, and a monthly (or more frequent) fee of $100+. The medication is only brand name as of this time, and most insurances don’t cover it. The cost of a single 8mg (8mg buprenorphine/2mg naloxone) tablet is around $7. Doses go up to 32mg, which is the ceiling dose (meaning even if you take more, it makes no difference). The problem with this medication, is approximately 10% of patients do not respond to this medication because buprenorphine is not a full opioid agonist like methadone, but a partial antagonist. This means some people, regardless of dosage, will not respond to this medication, and will make them feel like they are in constant withdrawals. Inpatient treatment is even more expensive, and impossible for some to afford. Furthermore, even though these services are available, albeit difficult to access, you cannot force a person into any form of treatment, it HAS to be there conscious decision. As previously stated, because of the difficulty accessing these services, many people may attempt to get help, but stop because of the hassle involved with these treatment methods. As far as legalization goes, it would be a step forward, and for those of you who think it would cause more problems, I urge you to look up HAT (heroin assisted treatment), which is available in Switzerland, Spain, Germany, and by trial basis, in Canada. Not only has it been very effective, but it has shown that pharmaceutical grade heroin treatment is more effective than methadone, Suboxone, and inpatient treatment. More people get off of it every year, and stay clean, than those on methadone, or Suboxone. Also, dosing with methadone in the US is problematic. The US uses what’s called racemic methadone, which contains two isomers (forms of methadone), dextro-methadone, and levo-methadone. Levo-methadone is really the only active isomer, and it is the only form used in the majority of Europe. Racemic methadone creates a problem when trying to determine proper dosage, because MMT clinics use an archaic, and disproven method of determining dosage known as a peak and trough. This is a blood test taken before you take your dose, and then again four hours after dosing. Because the methadone is racemic, the levels are doubled, and show a false reading, as l-methadone is the only truly helpful form. Therefor, if you were taking only l-methadone and you had a level of 200, the racemic methadone given in the US would show up as 400 do to the inactive d-methadone isomer. Furthermore, federally funded clinics are also problematic. For example, Chicago clinics only allow patients to go up to 100mg per day. This is not effective for many high tolerance users, and many are still “dopesick.” This causes many to drop out of the program because they have no reason to go in to a clinic, with inconvenient hours, to take a medication that doesn’t help them entirely. Not only that, but it’s possible to still use heroin, or other opioids, especially via intravenous use, at a dosage like this. There are patients who NEED dosages over 1000mg per day. I suggest reading a medical paper called, “When enough isn’t enough.” Which address this issue. Providing NEPs (needle exchange programs), help prevent the spread of HIV, and Hepatitis C. I urge all who don’t believe this to read about the current problem in Russia. They have use double the amount of heroin (Afghani, which is the purest heroin available) than the US and Canada combined, yet they do not offer public NEPs, methadone maintenance treatment, or Suboxone maintenance treatment. The number of HIV and Hepatitis C infections have spread monumentally, yet they refuse to do anything about it. Furthermore, people stigmatize users, particularly those who IV. Ironically, heroin (which I would like to remind is illegal), and opioid withdrawal cannot cause death, or seizures, yet, alcohol, and benzodiazapines, which are both legal not only can cause delirium tremens, tonic clonic seizures, but death. Also, alcohol is responsible for more deaths yearly than all illegal drugs combined, and that’s not just limited to the users of it, but innocent people due to auto accidents, and other things. However, because it’s legal, it’s socially acceptable. It’s time for many of you to do your research and have a mentality change. The only dangerous consequence of “white” heroin (which refers to powder based heroin that is white, off-white, or tan, and originates from either South East Asia, or South Africa), is the risk of overdose, leading to death. However, if a user knows his tolerance, this can be entirely avoided, and furthermore, if this happens can be reversed by naloxone, among other antagonists. Let’s move forward and destigmatize this drug, and the people who use it. Chances are, you don’t even realize how many people, and the fact that many people hold very good jobs, including but not limited to doctors, lawyers, etc. Also, if you think pharmaceutical opioids are safer, or less addictive, you’ve managed to fool yourself. Knowledge is power, and harm reduction saves lives. If you think heroin is a problem, then you obviously are not informed about methamphetamine, cocaine, and alcohol. All are neurotoxic, and meth in particular, completely changes your neuro chemistry permanently, not to mention it causes such horrible physical problems, including, but not limited to, tooth decay and loss (known as meth mouth), psychosis, and many other horrible problems. If not fully reacted, depending on the method, can cause free radicals from iodine to build up in your body, causing other horrible problems. Not to mention the improper disposal of chemicals can infect, soil, and ground water for years, and costs very much to properly clean up. Next time you have a few beers, and decide that it’s okay, and you think that you’re better than someone using heroin, or other opioids, realize that you’re not, and that is complete arrogance, and ignorance.