Nov 2, 2017 2 min read

WAYNESBURG – A man was arrested by state police Thursday afternoon and accused of causing a fire that destroyed the Franklin Township home he shared with his girlfriend.

Police charged Brett Michael Dulaney, 35, with arson, risking a catastrophe, strangulation, simple assault and harassment after he allegedly assaulted his girlfriend and then set their mobile home on fire.

Waynesburg-Franklin Township fire Chief Jeff Marshall said the mobile home at 125 Valley Farm Drive was destroyed in the blaze.

Police were called to the home just before noon for a domestic dispute, troopers at the scene said. There, they found Dulaney near the front porch while his girlfriend, Billie Jo Hodgson, was outside with scrapes on her arms, legs and face, and blood near her mouth. Police said Dulaney punched her, held a knife to her throat and choked her.

Hodgson said at the scene she was asleep on the couch when Dulaney allegedly attacked her. She said she tried to get away from him and he pushed her. She then ran out of the home with a shopping bag of belongings and called 911.

She said she was on the phone with dispatchers when she saw Dulaney set fire to their home. Police said Dulaney smelled like a petroleum product and Hodgson saw him light a piece of cardboard and set the curtains on fire.

Volunteer firefighters from Jefferson Township and Waynesburg-Franklin Township were dispatched and extinguished the fire in about 30 minutes, Marshall said.

Troopers said a state police fire marshal would be at the scene to investigate the blaze.

District Judge Glenn Bates arraigned Dulaney, who was taken to Greene County jail on $50,000 bond.