SYKESVILLE, Md. — A Carroll County man has been charged with arson for allegedly setting his own home on fire.
Just after 8am Tuesday, the Sheriff's Office was called to the 500 block of Sherry Drive for a domestic disturbance.
“A female occupant of the home indicated that her estranged husband had forcefully entered the home leading to some breaking of windows or what not, so she was actually calling the sheriff’s office for that,” said Master Deputy State Fire Marshal Oliver Alkire. “During that phone call, it was indicated that he may have wanted to set the house on fire.”
Arriving deputies discovered what they described as "a large column of black smoke rising from the home."
At the scene they encountered 59-year-old Michael Weisgerber, who admitted to intentionally setting the fire.
Weisgerber said his estranged wife had been living in the home, while he stayed in an RV parked in the driveway.
Investigators reviewed home surveillance footage showing Weisgerber dousing an upstairs bedroom with gasoline, igniting the fire.
This caused an explosion knocking a back door off its hinges.
WATCH: Estranged husband in custody after setting Sykesville home on fire
In a strange twist, Weisgerber made sure his wife was outside when he torched the home.
“He did indicate that he did not want to injure his wife.He said that numerous times to our investigators,” said Alkire, “He wanted to make sure he was ensuring her safety when he did this.”
Weisgerber, however, sustained minor injuries. He was treated at the hospital before being transferred to the Carroll County Detention Center.
A neighbor we spoke to expressed shock over incident.
“I don’t know what’s going on. You don’t know what’s going on inside anybody’s home, but you never think of a fire,” said John Enright.
The couple, we're told, have been married for 30 years.
