Plainfield Man Says He Was Menaced By Elderly Farmer And His 'Gang'

A Plainfield man said an elderly farmer and his “gang” have menaced him to the point he fears for his very life.

Christopher Jenkins, 39, petitioned Will County court for a protective order against 78-year-old Herman Fritz. He was denied Thursday.

Jenkins said in his petition that he is “working with the state’s attorney” and has reported Fritz to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Natural Resources and the Army Corps of Engineers for “toxic dumping and burning materials.”

Fritz was arrested last month on charges of criminal disposal of waste, air pollution and water pollution. In November, prosecutors secured a civil injunction forbidding Fritz from dumping on his property. The injunction remains in effect.

Jenkins said Fritz and five other, unidentified men came to his McKenna Drive home on Wednesday.

“He was ringing the bell and banging on the door,” Jenkins said in his petition. “He did this for a few minutes. I yelled at him to get off my property and I was calling the police. He continued to pound on the door. The police came and I filed a report.”

Jenkins claims this was the “third time Herman and his gang (have) harassed me.”

One of those prior occasions may have been in December, according to Jenkins’ petition. On the day in question, his “doorbell rang multiple times” and he “heard glass breaking” as paintballs hit his window, he said.

“There were multiple people on Herman’s property shooting something at my house,” Jenkins said. The “men were yelling and scr(e)aming that I’m a dead man and that he is going to kill me. They were shining lights on my house.”

Jenkins said he believes that he may in fact end up a dead man.

“I fear for my life,” he said, “as Herman is becoming more aggressive toward me and now involving other men in this.”