US EditionIn 2002, Former Minnesota Police Chief Started a Fire to Win Back His Girlfriend
- On April 7, 2002, John Tuchek, the Lanesboro police chief since June 2001, reported a fire in downtown Lanesboro to the Fillmore County Sheriff's Office.
- The fire followed Tuchek's recent breakup with his former girlfriend, leading investigators to suspect he started the fire to appear heroic by saving her.
- Investigators determined that Tuchek started the fire by setting cardboard alight with gasoline behind the Little River General Store, which led to the destruction of three buildings and damage to the apartments above.
- Tuchek was charged with a total of 15 offenses, comprising nine arson counts and six counts related to criminal property damage; a jury convicted him of eight first-degree arson charges, resulting in a six-year prison sentence and an order to pay restitution exceeding $700,000.
- The fire’s impact remains, with the store owner uncertain about recovery, and Tuchek apologized publicly, while his attorney argued he never intended extensive damage.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Pine Journal
In 2002, former Minnesota police chief started a fire to win back his girlfriend
LANESBORO, Minn. — After his girlfriend broke up with him via email, a former Minnesota small-town police chief tried to rekindle the flame. It happened 23 years ago. On April 7, 2002, the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office received a call from John Tuchek, who had been the police chief of Lanesboro, Minnesota, since June 2001. Tuchek reported he was patrolling downtown when he saw a building catch fire. Living in an apartment above the Lanesboro …
In 2002, the former Lanesboro police chief started a fire to win back his girlfriend
LANESBORO, Minn. — After his girlfriend broke up with him via email, a former Lanesboro police chief tried to rekindle the flame. It happened 23 years ago, on April 7, 2002, the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office received a call from John Tuchek, who had been the police chief since June 2001. Tuchek reported he was patrolling downtown when he saw a building catch fire. Living in an apartment above the Lanesboro building was Tuchek’s former girlfri…
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