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Eugene Boudreau Jr., age 55, was arrested on Monday, March 6 for his role in the domestic incident and following fire, which happened on Saturday, Feb. 18, according to Middletown Police.
On the day of the incident, which happened around 10:30 p.m. in Middletown at a trailer at 500 Washington St., police were called to the property for a reported domestic disturbance.
Once authorities arrived, a female victim left the trailer to talk with officers. It was then determined that Boudreau had poured gasoline on the woman and the trailer in an effort to light both on fire, police said.
Officers then began negotiations with Boudreau to convince him to leave the trailer while also establishing a perimeter around the property and evacuating nearby residents. A Middletown Police drone was also deployed to watch the situation from a distance because of concerns that Boudreau was armed or that his trailer's propane tank would ignite.
Eventually, the negotiations proved unsuccessful and Boudreau lit his trailer on fire. A few minutes after the fire began, he then finally left the trailer, and officers resumed negotiation efforts from a safe distance. Boudreau finally surrendered to police once his trailer was fully engulfed in flames along with a neighboring trailer, which had begun to catch fire.
After Boudreau was taken into custody, Middletown Fire personnel put out the blaze without any injuries or further incidents. Ultimately, the fire started by Boudreau led to the destruction of his trailer, a neighboring trailer, and two nearby vehicles, police said.
Because he had suffered numerous burns on his body, Boudreau was taken to Middlesex Hospital and then airlifted to Bridgeport Hospital’s burn unit for treatment. He was arrested by Middletown Police following his release on Monday, March 6.
Boudreau has been charged with the following:
- First-degree arson;
- First-degree kidnapping;
- First-degree criminal attempt to commit assault;
- First-degree reckless endangerment;
- First-degree unlawful restraint;
- First-degree threatening;
- Second-degree criminal mischief;
- Second-degree breach of peace;
- Disorderly conduct.
Boudreau is currently being held on a court-set $1,000,000 bond. He was presented in court on Monday.
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