This is a disturbing coincidence – two estranged husbands, two arson fires, two different towns.
As I reported in today’s Missoulian:
A Frenchtown man stands accused of burning down his estranged wife’s beauty salon early Monday, hours before he was due to respond to her divorce filing.
Shawn Robin Gawronski, 33, was arrested near the Gifted Hands salon after firefighters received a 3:40 a.m. alert that the structure across the street from the department was ablaze.
And the Associated Press has a story about a Three Forks man facing similar charges:
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports Robert Howard Mock pleaded not guilty to arson, stalking and fleeing an officer. District Judge Mike Salvagni continued Mock’s bond at $50,000. Mock is New Mexico, where he is reportedly seeking substance abuse treatment.
Elizabeth Mock told police she believed her husband broke a window in her bedroom at around 1 a.m. on Dec. 13 and set fire to her house later that day.
When officers tried to stop Mock to question him about the burglary, he led them on a chase to his home. After a 10-hour standoff, officers determined there was not enough information arrest him and left
For once, let’s hope that the old saying about bad things coming in threes isn’t true. Two of these cases is two too many.
Gwen Florio
.