Police: Borough man attempted to set North White house on fire
By Kaylee Lindenmuth | [email protected]
SHENANDOAH – A borough man is behind bars after police say he attempted to set a house and car on fire, threatening to “kill everyone” early Saturday morning.
Around 3:00am, Shenandoah Police and Shenandoah Fire were dispatched to 32 North White Street in the borough for the incident. Responding officers were advised the man, later identified as Michael O’Boyle, 40, of that address, was attempting to set the house on fire and wasn’t allowing other residents to leave.
Units arrived to find a cardboard box, filled with more cardboard, on fire in the sidewalk, and the fire was extinguished by police at the scene. Shenandoah fire marshals, who responded from a smoke investigation on the west end, cancelled all units and returned to the prior incident.
Police spoke to two females in the residence, who told them O’Boyle had been drinking and then threatened to kill them both and burn the house down. As he made such threats, he smashed items in the house.
He then took the box outside and set it aflame.
As emergency service personnel arrived, O’Boyle fled the area, but was located three blocks away by a Frackville Police officer on South Lehigh Street.
O’Boyle is facing charges of Arson Endangering Property, Terroristic Threats, Reckless Endangerment, Disorderly Conduct, and Harassment. He was arraigned by Magistierial District Judge Bayer and committed to county prison, unable to post $10,000 straight cash bail.
Assisting Shenandoah Police were Frackville, West Mahanoy Township, and Mahanoy City Police.
About Author
