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Tennis Player Made Bomb Threat At White House
In 2013, a Pennsylvania man was arrested on suspicion of making a bomb threat near the White House, according to the Secret Service and Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department.
On a weekday morning in April Krzysztof Wasik, then 44, of Hazel Township, Pennsylvania, approached a White House gate and told guards he had a bomb in his vehicle that was set to explode, police said.
The city’s bomb disposal squad searched a truck parked nearby in front of the Veterans Affairs Building, but no hazardous materials were found, police said.
Though his bomb threat was a bluff, Wasik was charged with felony threats, police said.
The mad fake bomber was charged with threatening and conveying false information regarding the use of an explosive. He was incarcerated for an undisclosed period of time.
More details of the incident were later revealed in a statement of facts from a Secret Service agent. Wasik was using the “bomb” as leverage to speak with President Barack Obama about truck regulations. “He was upset about the rules and regulations concerning semi-trucks and was angry about fines that he had to pay,” the statement said.
The first time the disgruntled trucker complained about regulations to a Secret Service officer by the White House fence, Wasik agreed to redirect his concerns about regulations to another government agency instead, according to the statement.
But the Pennsylvania trucker returned minutes later, according to the Secret Service and demanded to talk to the president so badly about the regulations, he claimed that he would detonate the bomb. “I know what it takes to get things done around here,” the statement reports him saying. “I have a bomb in my truck parked 500 feet from here.”
Wasik’s determination for a meeting with Obama about the truck regulations went even further, according to the Secret Service. While the bomb squad was investigating the vehicle, Wasik insisted that he wanted the bomb to go off, even though he was already in custody. “I don’t care if children or veterans are harmed by the bomb,” Wasik said, according to the statement. “I only care about speaking to the President.”
Today Wasik is harnessing and redirecting his energies to playing a ton of tennis in the www.bergentennis.com league tournament in Bergen County, NJ. He joined the league in 2018 and has played 179 matches, posting a 45-134 record. This year he’s ranked no. 7 for the end of summer final sixteen tournament.
I played Wasik on red clay a month ago and was impressed by his quickness and shotmaking though his strokes and grips are obviously self-taught and limit his ceiling but his natural ability and court sense are impressive. Also he has a terrific enthusiastic spirit on the court, appreciating great shots that exceed his range. His joy for tennis and positive attitude are infectious. Wasik is a nice friendly guy.
On June 5 this year Wasik played three tournament matches in one day, at three different locations, a possible world record!
First match he lost to Paolo 76 57 26. Then he drove to another court and lost to Marijus 46 16. Then on to the third match at a third court vs Peter B, another defeat 57 36.
This story is another example of tennis changing lives for the better.
President Obama · Tennis · White House
