Man charged with poisoning koi fish pond at motel of state senator’s wife

FOSTER, R.I. (WLNE) — A Rhode Island senator and his wife are processing a great loss after they say their beloved koi fish pond was poisoned.

The Rhode Island SPCA said Monday that Jeffrey Gronski was arrested and charged with malicious injury or killing of animals.

Gronski, who’s 59 years old, is accused of putting Miracle Grow in the pond at the Stone House Motor Inn in Foster after a dispute with management. About 50 fish died.

The Rhode Island SPCA shares this booking photo of Jeffrey Gronski.

Heidi Weston Rogers, wife of Sen. Gordon Rogers (R-Coventry, Foster, Scituate, East Greenwich), said they maintained their koi pond at their motel for 15 years.

The pond is sentimental to the Rogers. Heidi said their grandchildren have grown up feeding the fish at the Stone House Motor Inn every spring and summer.

Heidi said in a social media post that their fish were suddenly taken from them last week.

She claims Gronski, a long-term guest, got angry with her after refusing to clean his things on the walkway and dumped poison into the family’s pond.

Sen. Gordon Rogers and his wife Heidi say their beloved koi fish at their motel in Foster were poisoned by a long-term guest. (Photo courtesy of Heidi Weston Rogers)

“The first photo is just 12 hours before he poisoned our pond and killed every single fish within a few hours,” she said. “Thousands of dollars worth of fish and my grandchildren’s priceless memories.”

She said the whole thing was caught on surveillance footage.

Heidi said Gronski had to surrender his own pet, a chihuahua who the Rogers’ allowed him to keep at the motel.