Man yelling slurs accidentally set himself on fire while trying to burn house down, police say

WACO, Texas (KWTX/Gray News) - A man yelling racial slurs and threatening to burn down a woman’s home accidentally set himself on fire, according to a Texas arrest warrant affidavit

Tony McDaniel, 47, is charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to McLennan County jail records.

The incident happened Dec. 18 on Arra Street in Waco.

Police received an emergency call about a man who was on fire in the middle of the intersection.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, witnesses told officers that McDaniel accidentally set himself on fire and was seen running to his trailer, which was parked outside a nearby tire shop on Hillsboro Drive.

Officers arrived at the scene and met with three victims who said McDaniel had been yelling racial slurs at them and threatened to set their home on fire.

A woman told police that McDaniel left and later returned to her home with a gasoline canister.

“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.”

Police said the victims used buckets of water to extinguish the flames on their property and in the roadway.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, police later approached McDaniel’s trailer, breached the doors and found him hiding under his bed.

McDaniel was taken to a Waco-area hospital for treatment for burn injuries.

Once cleared by medical staff, McDaniel will be booked into the McLennan County Jail.