Erik Pierwsza, 48, has been charged with three counts of recklessly endangering another person, one count of disorderly conduct, and one count of causing a catastrophe after allegedly using an excavator to smash his home while his wife and two daughters were inside.
The incident occurred in Buffalo Township, Pennsylvania, where Pierwsza allegedly used the excavator's claw to tear away chunks of his house. According to the Buffalo Township Police Department, investigators were concerned about the structural integrity of the home due to the extent of the damage.
A police report said that Pierwsza and his wife were arguing about the potential end of their marriage before the incident. The wife told police that her husband threatened to rip the house down if she left him. “If it's over, I'll tear the house down,” he allegedly said. Moments after the confrontation, he allegedly got into the construction vehicle and began destroying the house while his wife and children hid inside.
His wife called 911, and during the call, operators could hear screaming and the sounds of machinery in the background. Investigators said Pierwsza eventually stopped, ran inside, grabbed a duffle bag, and left for a different town. He was arrested the same day.
Neighbours expressed shock at the allegations. One neighbour, who told KDKA-TV he had hunted with Pierwsza, described him as an avid outdoorsman. “Forty-two years I've been married, but I've never threatened to tear the house down,” another neighbour said.
Pierwsza is being held at Butler County Prison on $10,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on June 9.
