A disturbing incident in Washington County has left a woman hospitalized after authorities say her own son set her and her home on fire during an eviction dispute.
According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, 32-year-old Dustin Tayler Machen has been arrested and is facing multiple serious charges, including attempted first-degree murder, aggravated arson, and interference with an emergency call.
Sheriff Keith Sexton said deputies responded early Thursday morning to a fire on South Pickens Bridge Road. By the time they arrived, the home was already fully engulfed in flames.
Investigators say the victim had been in the process of evicting her son when the situation escalated. Machen allegedly left the residence, returned with gasoline, and poured it on both his mother and parts of the house. Authorities claim he then set the fire as she tried to escape and destroyed her phone to prevent her from calling for help.
Despite the attack, the woman managed to flee to a neighbor’s home, where she contacted emergency services. She suffered burns to her arms and was taken to a nearby hospital. Her current condition has not been publicly disclosed.
Deputies later located Machen nearby. Officials said he appeared to be watching the fire when he was taken into custody. Authorities also noted a prior history of domestic violence incidents involving the suspect and his mother.
He is currently being held without bond and is expected to appear in court soon.
