1999 Honda Civic distributer question

1999 Honda Civic mileage: 130,000. My car began making a choppy sound when it was cold (it being the weather and the car). I live in Texas and so it was not cold very often. However, when I started it this morning and the weather was less than forty degrees, it sounded as if I had a propeller for an engine. It seemed to go away after I added a fuel system cleaner (Techron concentrate) to the gas tank. Last night I began driving it home and I heard a squeaking sound periodically (especially when I was driving very slowly). The sound was accompanied by another more screechy sound that seemed to occur randomly. I decided it was a belt of some sort so I thought I'd put it in the next day. However, on the way home it slowed (it was if I'd driven off the road and was driving in tar). The engine was still running, but barely. Half a mile later, the engine died. Fast-forward to the part where my mechanic informs me that my distributor assembly, coils, etc are entirely burnt-up and they need to be replaced. My questions are: 1) He said that this happens on occasions with Honda's. Is this true? Why? 2) I'm not sure why the distributor assembly would cause, a prop sound along with screeching etc. My mechanic says it’s all related. I guess I'm not convinced.