A 47-year-old man accidentally set himself on fire after allegedly trying to burn down a woman’s home while yelling racial slurs, then hid “under his bed” as police moved in, according to a Texas arrest affidavit, viewed by several local news outlets.
According to Waco’s KWTX, the incident happened on December 18, 2025, in the 1700 block of Arra Street in Waco, where emergency dispatchers received a call reporting a man engulfed in flames in the road.
Responding officers found Tony McDaniel on fire in the intersection, screaming obscenities at bystanders before fleeing toward a trailer where he lived.
McDaniel then ran to his trailer home parked near a local tire shop, where law enforcement breached the doors and found him hiding under his bed, the report says.
Racial slurs, and McDaniel’s hiding place
According to McDaniel’s arrest warrant affidavit cited by multiple outlets, neighbors told police McDaniel had been yelling racial slurs at them and threatening to set their home ablaze.
One woman reported to officers that McDaniel left the scene, returned with a gasoline canister, and poured the fuel down the side of her house and into the street. “This is what caused McDaniel to catch himself on fire along with the roadway and grassy area near the home,” the affidavit states.
Witnesses told police they saw flames spreading along the roadway and the side of the home after the gasoline ignited, and several people rushed to intervene before firefighters arrived.
Using buckets and whatever was available, neighbors doused the flames and stopped the fire from reaching the interior of the house, authorities said. Their actions helped limit the damage and likely prevented serious injuries or a fatal structure fire, the affidavit notes.
McDaniel’s motive is unknown
Once apprehended, authorities transported McDaniel to a nearby hospital for treatment of burn injuries, including burns to his hands, before booking him into the McLennan County Jail. He faces three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to online records.
At this time, law enforcement has not publicly released detailed information about McDaniel’s motive beyond the statements in the arrest affidavit, or why McDaniel targeted the woman’s home, or on the nature of their relationship, if any.
If convicted, McDaniel could face significant prison time under Texas law. Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon is typically charged as a second-degree felony, punishable by two to 20 years in state prison and fines of up to $10,000 per count if found guilty.
Arson-related conduct involving an occupied habitation can also carry severe penalties, particularly if prosecutors argue the fire created a substantial risk of serious bodily injury or death. If McDaniel’s case goes to trial, judges may consider prior convictions, the presence of hate-based conduct, and the danger posed to neighbors when determining sentencing. Restitution and long-term supervision are also possible outcomes.
