Daisytown man allegedly set fire to building with children inside
A Daisytown man was arrested Thursday after he allegedly set a house on fire, knowing there were people, including children, inside.
Brandon Tyler Michaux, 27, was reportedly in one of four apartments in a house at 25 Shady Lane with Ashton Hite, Demetrius Owens and children. Hite reportedly told police they got into an argument with Michaux after one of the children’s video games went missing. Hite and Owens told police they opened Michaux’s backpack and found the gaming system there, according to court paperwork.
Owens said they asked him to leave, and he escorted Michaux downstairs and watched him exit the rear door.
Michael Core was inside another apartment in the building when he heard the arguing upstairs, according to court paperwork. He told police that after Owens escorted Michaux downstairs, Michaux stated he didn’t care about them or the children. Core said he smelled paper burning, and looked outside to see Michaux leaving the rear porch and walking through the backyard.
Core said he exited his apartment and saw a large amount of garbage, paper, boxes and a chair on fire within the house in front of the rear door. Hite said she heard Core yell, “Fire,” and she grabbed all the children and her dog and ran out of the building.
According to court paperwork, Michaux had allegedly retrieved the trash and chair from the rear porch, brought them inside and lit them on fire before leaving through the rear door a second time.
A total of 10 people were in the building at the time of the fire, including four children. All were uninjured, police said.
Michaux was picked up by police at Liberty Tax on Connellsville Street in Uniontown. Police reported that he smelled strongly of alcohol and had in his possession a total of four lighters, two of which were functioning.
Michaux faces two counts of arson and 10 counts each of aggravated assault, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. He is confined at Fayette County Prison with bail set at $50,000. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 23 before Fayette County Magisterial District Judge Michael M. Metros.