A Penn Hills man is accused of attempting to burn down a home with his children in it on Sunday, according to court documents.
Quenton Hughes, 39, is charged with endangering persons, causing or risking a catastrophe, possession of instruments of a crime, possession of explosive or incendiary materials or devices, harassment, two counts of endangering the welfare of children, three counts of aggravated arson and three counts of recklessly endangering another person.
Officers were dispatched shortly before 1 p.m. Sunday for a man with gasoline in the basement of a home attempting to light the residence on fire, according to court documents.
Allegheny County dispatch updated responders about the incident and told them a man and a women were fighting in the basement, court documents read.
According to the criminal complaint, the original call to 911 came from an 11-year-old girl who told arriving officers “he’s around back, go around back.”
Police found a woman and a man, later identified as Hughes, inside the rear basement door.
Officers smelled a strong odor of gasoline as well as something burning.
The woman, later identified as the property owner, told police she attempted to kick Hughes out of the home after he admitted to infidelities.
He was to get his things and leave when Hughes poured gas out of a lawnmower onto the basement floor, according to court documents.
The woman placed clothing over the spilled gasoline in an attempted to soak up the gas.
“While holding a ‘Bic’ lighter in his hands, Hughes proclaimed to (the woman), ‘I don’t give a (expletive) who’s in this house. I’ma light this (expletive) up,” the complaint states.
The 11-year-old was able to get another child, a 2-year-old girl, safely out of the house during the incident, police reported.
Police said the two girls are the daughters of Hughes and the homeowner.
Officers also recovered a beige Bic lighter from Hughes’ front right pants pocket.
Hughes’ preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Jan. 10 before Penn Hills Magistrate Anthony L. DeLuca.
Online court documents indicate Hughes remains in jail unable to post bail.
