A Pennsylvania man is facing felony charges for “causing catastrophe” after, authorities allege, he tried tearing down his house with an excavator.
Suspect Erik Pierwsza, 48, returned to his home in Buffalo Township, 30 miles southwest of Pittsburgh, on Tuesday morning after a night of drinking, his wife told police, according to a criminal complaint cited by KDKA-TV.
The suspect’s wife told police that the two were already separated, according to the complaint as cited by Pittsburgh’s Tribune-Review.
When he got home, the two got into an argument, and his wife, unnamed publicly by authorities, told him their marriage was over. Mr. Pierwsza said that “if it’s over, I’ll tear the house down,” climbed into the excavator and began destroying the house while his wife and two daughters were inside, according to KDKA.
Mr. Pierwsza managed to tear down part of the rear of the house before fleeing. The police said in the complaint that the house took serious damage, enough to possibly compromise its structural integrity, according to the Tribune-Review.
In addition to the catastrophe charge, Mr. Pierwsza is charged with three counts of recklessly endangering another person and hazardous disorderly conduct, all misdemeanors, according to court records.
Mr. Pierwsza remains in custody at Butler County Prison because he couldn’t post his $10,000 bail, according to court records. He is due back in court on June 9.
