Man allegedly admitted setting fire to send ex 'a message'

Jun. 5—Prosecutors say a man pulled over after allegedly drunkenly driving around emergency crews battling a fire near a Helena Flats Road home on Sunday was the individual who set the blaze.

Lawrence Stephen Chain, 58, faces felony counts of attempted arson and criminal endangerment as well as a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief in Flathead County District Court following his June 4 arrest. He remains held in the county jail.

Chain was identified as the man behind the wheel of a Toyota Tundra that drove recklessly twice through emergency responders as they battled the fire, according to court documents. The Tundra struck the mirror of a fire truck, ran over a hose and forced at least one first responder to jump out of the way, court documents said.

Deputies with the Flathead County Sheriff's Office initially investigated the case as driving under the influence. Chain, court documents said, struggled to exit the truck and displayed poor balance. While he gave off the odor of an alcoholic beverage, he also smelled of fuel, court documents said.

Meanwhile, evidence of suspicious activity at the scene of the fire — first reported about 3:20 a.m. by a newspaper delivery person — was emerging. According to court documents, firefighters found an apparent trail of gas poured along the fence to the house as well as on the deck and the home itself. Emergency responders also discovered a gas can on the handrail of the deck.

Surveillance footage at the home showed a man with longer hair and wearing a sport coat breaking a mirror and windshield wipers of the Helena Flats homeowner's silver Ford car, court documents said. While the homeowners failed to recognize the man, investigators did, according to court documents.

Chain, court documents said, also had a torch in plain view on the pickup's passenger side floorboard and a gas tank in the bed.

Chain allegedly agreed to speak with authorities after receiving a Miranda warning. He admitted to vandalizing the Ford because he believed it to be his ex-partner's vehicle, court documents said. Likewise, he believed his ex was renting the Helena Flats home and set it ablaze to "send her a message," according to court documents.

His ex had recently filed for a temporary restraining order against him, he allegedly said.

While further investigation determined that Chain's ex did own a vehicle matching that found at the scene, the vandalized Ford was not hers, court documents said. His ex similarly was not living at the Helena Flats home, according to court documents.

If convicted of attempted arson, Chain faces up to 20 years in Montana State Prison and a fine of $50,000. Felony criminal endangerment carries a maximum penalty of 10 years behind bars and a $50,000 fine. Misdemeanor criminal mischief is punishable by up to six months in county jail and a $1,500 fine.

Chain's arraignment in district court has not yet been scheduled.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or [email protected].