A bizarre and racially motivated incident unfolded in Central Texas this week when a man allegedly attempted to torch his neighbor’s home—only to end up setting himself on fire instead.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by KNOE, the incident happened on Thursday, December 18, in Waco, Texas, along Arra Street. Police were first alerted after receiving an emergency call reporting a man engulfed in flames in the middle of an intersection.
That man was later identified as 47-year-old Tony McDaniel. Witnesses told officers that McDaniel had accidentally ignited himself and was seen running from the intersection back toward a trailer parked outside a tire shop on Hillsboro Drive.
When officers arrived, they spoke with three residents who said McDaniel had been verbally harassing them before the fire. According to police, the victims reported that McDaniel shouted racial slurs and repeatedly threatened to burn down their home.
One woman told investigators that McDaniel left the area and later returned carrying a gasoline container. According to the affidavit, he allegedly poured gasoline along the side of the house and into the street before attempting to light it.
“McDaniel would pour gasoline down the side of the home and into the roadway before pulling out a lighter and igniting it,” police wrote in the arrest warrant affidavit. “This is what caused McDaniel to catch himself on fire along with the roadway and grassy area near the home.”
The fire spread quickly but was stopped before causing major damage. Police said the residents acted fast, using buckets of water to put out flames on their property and in the roadway.
After securing the scene, officers tracked McDaniel to his nearby trailer. Police breached the doors and found him hiding under a bed, according to the affidavit.
McDaniel was transported to a Waco-area hospital, where he received treatment for burn injuries sustained during the incident. Jail records show he is charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Once cleared by medical staff, McDaniel is expected to be booked into the McLennan County Jail. The case remains under investigation, but authorities confirmed no additional injuries were reported.