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Nov 02, 2023

Police: Middletown man poured gas on wife, wanted to blow up trailer

Eugene E. Boudreau Jr., 55, of Middletown, poured gasoline on his wife before

Eugene E. Boudreau Jr., 55, of Middletown, poured gasoline on his wife before starting in a fire that destroyed two residential trailers and two vehicles, according to an arrest warrant.

MIDDLETOWN — The local man accused of setting fire to a Washington Street trailer park last month "planned to blow his trailer up," causing police to scramble to get other residents evacuated quickly, according to an arrest warrant.

Eugene Boudreau, 55, was charged by warrant Monday with first-degree arson, first-degree kidnapping, criminal attempt to commit first-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment, first-degree unlawful restraint, first-degree threatening and several other offenses after he was released from the Bridgeport Hospital burn unit.

He was held on a $1 million bond after his appearance in the Superior Court of Middletown Monday.

Police responded to Boudreau's Washington Street trailer home around 10:35 p.m. on Feb. 18 for a report of a domestic disturbance, the warrant said. Boudreau grabbed his wife as she was coming home and then forced her into the house where he was throwing gasoline first from a cup and then from a gas can, the woman told police, according to the warrant.

She was able to escape when her dogs attacked Boudreau as he was trying to prevent her from leaving, the warrant said. She made it outside and called for the dogs as he was pouring gas on their car, the warrant stated. At some point, she recalled that she was able to call 911 to report what was happening and then saw Boudreau run back into their trailer as police arrived, according to the warrant.

When officers arrived, the "odor of gas was pungent" and it was obvious that the wood stairs and two porches were wet with gasoline and that a 100-pound propane tank that was plumbed to Boudreau's trailer was only feet away, the warrant said.

Based on the scene, police evacuated other trailer park residents while Boudreau stayed in his unit, refusing to come out, according to the warrant.

By shouting, police determined Boudreau planned to "blow the trailer up," the warrant said.

While investigators tried to convince Boudreau to exit the trailer, negotiations failed, and he started a fire in the home while he was still inside, according to police. He eventually came out as his home and a second trailer were burning but still refused to be taken into custody, police said.

At that point, he could be seen smashing out windows with a broom and trying to cut his wrists with the shards, police said in the warrant. Officers finally coaxed him to surrender by getting him to go through some brush and under a train bridge, the warrant said.

In the ensuing blaze, Boudreau's home, an adjacent trailer and two motor vehicles nearby were destroyed, according to police.

Once Boudreau was detained, police said, Middletown firefighters extinguished the flames.

Boudreau suffered burns during the incident and was flown to Bridgeport Hospital where he was admitted to the burn unit, police said.

Boudreau was released from Bridgeport Hospital Monday and turned over to Middletown police, officials said.

Staff writer Caroline Tien contributed to this story.