A Wisconsin man is facing a long list of serious charges after authorities say a bitter marital split escalated into a terrifying overnight fire that could have turned deadly.

Nicholas Grundman, 47, has been charged with attempted murder, arson, stalking, and multiple other offenses following a fire at his estranged wife’s home in Greenville, Wisconsin. According to details outlined in a criminal complaint and first reported by Law&Crime, investigators believe the blaze was intentionally set while the woman was inside the house.

The incident unfolded just after midnight on March 19, when a 911 call reported a fire breaking out in the home’s attached garage. The caller—identified as Grundman’s wife—told dispatchers she had been asleep when one of her cats began pawing at her face, waking her just in time to escape.

Within moments, she said, smoke had filled the home.

Acting quickly, the woman managed to get herself—and her pets, including three cats and two dogs—out safely. She then used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames before firefighters arrived. While no one was physically harmed, the fire caused damage to her vehicle and personal belongings stored in the garage.

As investigators dug deeper, a troubling picture began to emerge.

The couple had been married for less than two years when the relationship began to unravel. According to police, the woman filed for divorce in February and had previously asked Grundman to leave the home, citing ongoing issues including his alleged alcohol abuse and inability to maintain employment.

Despite being asked to leave, authorities say Grundman continued to contact her relentlessly. The woman told police he called and texted her repeatedly—sometimes every 30 minutes throughout the night—causing her increasing concern for her safety.

On the day of the fire, she reportedly told him to stop contacting her. That conversation allegedly ended with a chilling statement: “If I can’t have you, no one is going to have you.”

Days later, investigators discovered evidence at the scene that suggested the fire had been deliberately set, including traces of an accelerant and a container of lighter fluid.

Police eventually tracked Grundman down at a construction site where he was working and took him into custody. At the time of his arrest, he was allegedly carrying a loaded handgun that his wife said he had taken when he moved out.

During questioning, Grundman initially tried to distance himself from the fire but later made statements that raised suspicion. According to the complaint, he admitted to accessing the garage the night of the incident and eventually confessed to using gasoline to start the fire.

He reportedly told investigators he poured fuel in the garage and ignited it with a lighter.

Despite the admission, Grundman denied that he intended to kill his wife.

Prosecutors, however, have charged him with attempted first-degree intentional homicide, reflecting the severity of the allegations. He is also facing additional counts related to arson, stalking, property damage, and weapons violations.

Grundman is currently being held in the Outagamie County Jail on a $1 million cash bond and is scheduled to appear in court in mid-April.

For many, the case underscores how quickly domestic disputes can escalate into life-threatening situations—and how close this incident came to ending in tragedy.