
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, October 26, 1993                   TAG: 9310260236
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.                                LENGTH: Short

`EXPLODING BLADDER' TOURIST RETURNS HOME

The German tourist whose urgent need to use the bathroom was mistaken for a bomb threat finally went home after spending 10 months in jail.

Johann Grzeganek, 24, pleaded guilty last week to four charges involving interference with a flight crew and was sentenced to time served. Prosecutors dropped a charge of concealing a bomb.

At a hearing Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Norman Roettger criticized federal prosecutors handling the case, saying it was a "disgrace he's been in jail this long."

Ana Jhones, one of his attorneys, said Grzeganek left Florida on Saturday evening and returned to his home in Garbsen, Germany, not far from Hanover. He had remained in jail 10 months because he couldn't make a $100,000 bond.

In January, Grzeganek was arrested aboard a flight to Germany. Grzeganek, who's afraid of flying, said the problem started when he got up to use the restroom because his bladder was "going to explode." - Associated Press

by CNB