A Monticello, Iowa woman who formerly owned a bar in Waseca, Minnesota, is facing felony arson charges after investigators say she deliberately set fire to the business with gasoline. Rachelle Lynn Schoknecht, 48, was charged with first-degree and second-degree felony arson in connection with a fire that broke out at the Nashville Saloon, located at 108 S. State St.
Fire Broke Out Before Dawn Near the Main Bar
According to a criminal complaint described by southernminn.com, officers responded to the fire at about 4:36 a.m. on Oct. 11. Investigators later concluded the blaze was intentionally set near the main bar, and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension took samples from the scene that confirmed gasoline had been used to start it, per the same account.
Despite the deliberate nature of the fire, damage to the interior of the building was described as minimal. No other buildings were affected, and no one was injured in the blaze, the outlet reports. Even so, insurance adjusters estimated that cleanup alone would cost at least $30,000, not including repairs to a hole left in the floor.
A Familiar Name Tied to the Same Waseca Bar
This is not the first time Schoknecht's name has surfaced in connection with trouble at the Nashville Saloon. Southernminn.com notes she had previously been charged with felony theft involving more than $6,000 in pull-tab profits from the bar, a case that predates the latest arson charges.
The pattern stretches back further. A small fire broke out at the Nashville Saloon on Oct. 11, the day after Schoknecht was charged with theft.
New Felony Charges Now Pending
The current case involves first-degree and second-degree felony arson charges. WKRN News 2 reported on the case.
