Newburg, WI: Fight over lawn mowing resulted in death

Steven Szerbowski killed by gunshot wound after dispute
By Jesse Garza of the Journal Sentinel


Animosity between a Washington County man and his girlfriend's family led to the fatal shooting of the girlfriend's son-in-law after an argument over who would mow her lawn, according to a criminal complaint.

George A. Trinka is charged with first-degree reckless homicide in the death of Steven L. Szerbowski, 39, of West Bend.

Trinka, 63, also is charged with first-degree-reckless endangerment, use of a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm by a felon in connection with the incident Saturday at his girlfriend's home in Newburg, according to the complaint obtained by WTMJ-TV (Channel 4).

Szerbowski, his wife and their four children went to the home to watch a parade of motorcycles that was to pass the house, according to the complaint.

After the parade, Szerbowski's 12-year-old son received permission from his grandmother to cut her lawn, which angered Trinka, who said the grass was too wet and that he would cut it the next day.

The woman said Trinka did not like her family because he thought they didn't like him.

By the time Szerbowski and his son went to return the lawn mower to the garage, Trinka, who lived in the basement, had wedged a two-by-four between the knob on the garage door and the floor.

After Szerbowski forced the door open, his mother-in-law began arguing with Trinka before his wife attempted to intervene.

Trinka told investigators Szerbowski began walking downstairs to the basement, yelling that he was going to beat Trinka.

Trinka then armed himself with a .22 caliber handgun he retrieved from a desk drawer, showed it to Szerbowski and told him to go back upstairs. He told investigators Szerbowski grabbed the hand with which he was holding the gun. After a brief struggle, the gun went off.

His account was contradicted by Szerbowski's mother-in-law, who said Trinka fired the gun at Szerbowski.

Szerbowski died of a gunshot wound to the chest, according to the complaint.

Trinka was in custody in the Washington County Jail Thursday night, his bail set at $50,000, a jail official said.