Man Accused of Attacking Ex, Setting Property on Fire Has Preliminary Hearing

A 50-year-old man is headed to trial in a bizarre case that involves an alleged assault and arson.

Patrick Mongeau of Middletown had charges including reckless endangerment, arson,simple assault, reckless burning or exploding, stalking forwarded to trial after a preliminary hearing before District Judge John Kelly.

Authorities alleged that Mongeau did not handle the end of an on-and-off relationship with a Middletown woman well.

According to court papers, Mongeau showed up to his ex-girlfriend’s home on Quaker Hill Road in Levittown just after midnight on June 1 to look for her. He reportedly talked to her oldest son and then headed to a lot the woman stayed at the on Penn Warner property in Falls Township.

At the lot, Mongeau banged on a trailer door and found his ex-girlfriend. The two began to argue, police said. They added that Mongeau grabbed her neck and threw her to the ground. Court papers also say that Mongeau gave her a week to get back with him or he would kill both of them. An unidentified man was reported to be at the lot with Mongeau’s ex-girlfriend when he arrived.

Police were called, but Mongeau was already gone by the time they arrived. Officers worked on an arrest warrant for the 50 year old.

After 3 a.m., Mongeau allegedly took a gas can from a shed in his ex-girlfriend’s backyard, doused gasoline in the backyard, including around a motorcycle, and set it ablaze with a match.

The smoldering fire damage was found around 8 a.m. and investigators were called to the Middletown house, police said.

A probe by the Middletown Fire Marshal’s Office determined the blaze, which damaged the house and motorcycle cover, was an arson, according to court papers. Investigators found gasoline was poured in the backyard, a fence, around the motorcycle and over a fire pit. A match believed to have started the fire was also found.

As police were at the scene of the arson, an officer spotted Mongeau driving by on his motorcycle. Police said they then arrested him for the assault in Falls.

Detective David Strother went to the Falls police station to interview the 50-year-old. In court papers, the detective noted Mongeau’s shoe smelled of gasoline.

In an interview with the detective, Mongeau said he went to his ex-girlfriends house and then ended up in a bar in Morrisville, staying until closing time. From there, he said he went to the home  he was staying in Morrisville and took anti-anxiety pills that “knock him out for five hours.”  He then stated he woke up hours later and headed back to a home he owned in the Quincy Hollow section and drove by his ex-girlfriend’s house, court papers say. He also is alleged to have told police his ex-girlfriend assaulted him at Penn Warner Club.

A Morrisville resident police spoke to said Mongeau came home after the bar and left a short time later.

Strother wrote in court papers that a Walmart receipt found in Mongeau’s pocket said a purchase was made shortly after 5 a.m., which was confirmed by security video obtained from the store.

A packet of matches found in Mongeau’s pocket also was the same as the type used to light the fire, which damaged the house where the ex-girlfriend’s four children were sleeping, police said.

Mongeau’s ex-girlfriend said she kicked him out of her house in September 2013 and said he has been continually harassing her since, according to court papers. Middletown police records show they responded to domestic incidents and threats nine times since 2012.

Mongeau allegedly told police his ex-girlfriend brought out the hate in him and their relationship has deteriorated recently.

According to court records, Mongeau remains in county jail on 10 percent of $25,000 bail.