Mark Dennis Mucha of Lakeview, who is charged with torching two residences he owns, appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday and pled not guilty. He was ordered to reappear in court on June 22nd.
According to investigative records, Mucha called 911 just after 3 a.m. May 15th and reported he had “just lit his house on fire”. The structure was located at 952 Hickory Flats Lane.
A female called 911 just before 5 a.m. to report the 42-year-old Mucha had stopped by her residence and told her he had burned his house down and was going to the police station to turn himself in.
At about 5:18 a.m., Mucha called 911 again to report he had set fire to a structure he used as a second home at 197 Buffalo Rapids Lane in the Buford area. Both structures, which had a combined estimated value of more than $270,000, were destroyed by the flames.
According to information in the probable cause affidavit, both calls from Mucha came from the same telephone number.
Mucha turned himself in at the Ozark County Sheriff’s Office in Gainesville, reporting what he had done and that the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office was looking for him. He was returned to Baxter County and is currently an inmate in the Baxter County jail with bond set at $150,000.
In 2003, Mucha had been charged with aggravated assault and 3rd degree battery after he attacked a person with a small wooden bat after he discovered several people on his private boat dock located on Bull Shoals Lake.
The victim in the case had cracked ribs and a laceration to the head which took 13 staples to close.
In September 2004, Mucha pled guilty to 3rd degree battery. The more serious charge of aggravated assault was dismissed by the state.
Mucha was given 12 months probation and ordered to pay more than $3,100 in restitution in that case.
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