Workers carting out the piles of trash that cluttered a Schaumburg home encountered a few surprises amidst the mess on Wednesday, including five guns and a partially mummified cat.
“Other than that, it was pretty much your typical hoarder house,” said Mary Passaglia, a public health officer for the village, which carried out the cleanup after the owner was convicted of several ordinance violations.
John Wuerffel, 62, was arrested for not having a Firearm Owners Identification Card, but was released a few hours later after posting $100 bond, authorities said.
As the day proceeded, Wuerffel loaded recyclable items into two moving trucks. He says he collects bottles and cans to exchange for cash in other states.
He often challenged workers, stopping them from loading certain items onto their dump trucks because he said they weren’t garbage.
Village officials told Wuerffel he could keep personal items like furniture and clothing. Passaglia said other things in the house, such as an unopened remote-control car, will not be tossed either.
“We tried to make a lot of smart decisions on what we’re throwing (out),” she said.
Passaglia said the cleaning will continue Thursday. The cost, which Schaumburg will cover, is expected to be between $2,700 and $6,000.
Wuerffel hasn’t lived in his home for more than a year because he was locked out during a now-stalled foreclosure process. He lived in shelters during cold weather and in his minivan on the front lawn over the summer.
kthayer@tribune.com
