Police: Bridge Street Man Tries to Light Woman's Clothing on Fire

A Phoenixville man was arrested on Bridge Street yesterday after Schuylkill Police say he assaulted a woman and attempted to light her clothing on fire in his front yard.

Mark Donald Gear, 61, was charged with two counts of simple assault, two counts of harassment, and additional counts of recklessly endangering another person and criminal mischief in connection with the December17 incident.

According to court documents, a woman Gear lives with on the 1000 block of Bridge Street—the full name of the woman was not released and the nature of their relationship is unclear—was attempting to pack her clothing in her car and leave the residence when Gear, who was intoxicated at the time of the incident, threw her items out of the vehicle and onto the front lawn.

Gear then, according to a witness, retrieved a gas can from the garage and covered the clothing in fuel. When the woman attempted to intervene, the witness said Gear struck her in the face and knocked her to the ground.

Gear attempted to pull out a cigarette lighter and ignite the pile, but the woman was able to pull it away from him.

Police say he had dumped a half gallon of gas on the clothes, which, had he managed to light the pile, could have been enough to cause an explosion.

Mark Gear was arrested and confined to Chester County Prison when he was unable to post $75,000 bail. He faces preliminary hearing on December 20.