Buffalo Township man accused of damaging family home with backhoe during dispute

A Buffalo Township man has been charged with multiple criminal offenses after he allegedly used an excavator to destroy his home Tuesday morning while his wife and children were still inside. Eric Pierwsza, 48, was arrested by police after his home in the Martin Road area was destroyed. Police said the argument began when Piersa’s wife told him their marriage was over because they had recently separated.Police said Piersa showed up at the house after a night of drinking, according to a report from TribLIVE and details outlined in a criminal complaint. Police said shortly after Piersa arrived, he and his wife got into an argument. The criminal complaint sets out the sequence of events that occurred during the altercation.Piersa’s wife said she told her husband during the argument that their marriage was over. “If this were all over, I would tear the house down,” Piersa said, as stated in the criminal complaint.Piersa then climbed onto a Kubota excavator and began dismantling the back of the home while his wife and daughters remained inside. Police said the machine caused considerable damage to the building in a short period of time. Authorities later noted that the extent of the damage raised serious doubts about the structure’s safety.Piersa reportedly left the scene after the incident. He was subsequently arrested by authorities. Charges against Piersa include causing catastrophe, reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct.According to investigators, the damage posed an immediate threat to the family as much of the building was severely damaged during the incident. When police arrived at the property, they noticed extensive damage to the back end of the building.Pierwsza remains in custody at the Butler County Jail after being unable to post $10,000 bail, records show. Public records show the preliminary hearing began before District Judge Jack D. Ripper on June 9th.Court documents show there was no record of Pilthazar’s defense attorney at the time the details were released.The case attracted widespread attention locally because heavy machinery was involved and relatives were still inside the house when the attack occurred. Police are still investigating the cause of the conflict and the destruction of property.