Police booked a 29-year-old on suspicion of DUI, burglary and malicious injury to property; motive remains unknown.
POST FALLS, Idaho — The investigation into a pre-dawn incident that left a newly completed home destroyed by an excavator is entering the court phase, with a preliminary hearing set for Nov. 21 and the defendant held on a $75,000 bond, authorities said.
Officials identified the suspect as Fred J. Kudrna IV, 29. Police say he was stopped in a vehicle near the scene and arrested after officers arrived to find the house on a west-side block split open and unstable. The case matters because it involves a high-value loss at the moment a sale had just closed and a family was preparing to move in, according to the builder, and because it raises questions about how heavy equipment was accessed and operated in a residential area before dawn.
Dispatchers received calls around 4 a.m. Tuesday about a machine crashing into a new home. Responding officers found the excavator had been driven onto the lot and used to tear through exterior walls and framing. Police said the residence was unoccupied, preventing injuries. A car pulled away as officers approached; they conducted a traffic stop and detained a driver later identified as Kudrna. He was booked into the Kootenai County Jail on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI, felony burglary and felony malicious injury to property.
Detectives said Kudrna has construction experience and “lives a transient lifestyle,” but they have not identified a motive. The burglary allegation stems from entering the site and using equipment without permission, while malicious injury to property reflects the scale of destruction. Investigators are reviewing camera footage, interviewing workers and neighbors and coordinating with city inspectors on structural safety. The builder is preparing invoices, materials lists and permit documents to establish a loss estimate for prosecutors and insurers.
Post Falls, part of the fast-growing Coeur d’Alene metro, has seen record building in recent years, putting heavy equipment and materials on neighborhood streets most weekdays. Police logs show periodic thefts from job sites, but incidents involving major structural damage are uncommon. City building officials said the damaged home must remain closed to the public until debris can be removed and utilities made safe. The excavation machine was towed from the area after documentation by investigators.
Kudrna made an initial appearance Wednesday, when a judge set bond at $75,000. The Nov. 21 preliminary hearing will allow prosecutors to present evidence for the felony counts; if the judge finds probable cause, the case would move to district court for arraignment and later scheduling. Detectives said the probe remains active, and additional charges could be considered if new evidence emerges. Officials offered no timetable for demolition or rebuilding decisions on the lot, which will depend on insurance and permitting steps.
By Friday, the sold sign still stood in front of the taped-off site. A contractor’s pickup idled while workers measured what remained of the framing along the slab. “We’ll document every stick,” one said. A nearby resident paused with a dog on a leash, staring at the exposed rooms. “It doesn’t look real,” she said, before walking on.
The investigation is ongoing. The next scheduled milestone is the Nov. 21 preliminary hearing at the Kootenai County courthouse.
Author note: Last updated November 14, 2025.