The Buffalo Township case includes felony and misdemeanor charges.
BUFFALO TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A 48-year-old Butler County man faces charges after police said he used an excavator to damage his Martin Road home while his wife and two daughters were inside.
Erik A. Pierwsza was charged after the Tuesday incident, which police described as the result of a domestic argument. The case now moves through district court as investigators review damage to the home and the risk faced by the people inside.
Police said Pierwsza returned home after drinking overnight and argued with his wife, who told officers the couple had been separating. According to the complaint, she told him their marriage was over. Police said Pierwsza replied, “If it’s over, I’ll tear the house down,” then got into a Kubota excavator outside the home.
The woman called 911 from the Martin Road residence. Police said dispatchers could hear yelling and the sound of the excavator during the call. Officers said Pierwsza then used the machine to tear into the rear portion of the home while his wife and two daughters remained inside.
Police said the house sustained major damage, and investigators noted the damage may have affected its structural integrity. No serious injuries were reported in the available charging information. Before officers arrived, police said Pierwsza left the home with a gym bag and headed toward Fawn Township in Allegheny County.
Pierwsza is charged with felony causing a catastrophe, three misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment and misdemeanor disorderly conduct. Court records also show his wife was granted a temporary protection from abuse order the same day as the incident.
Pierwsza was held in Butler County Prison after failing to post $10,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. June 9 before District Judge Jack Ripper.
Authorities have not said when the home can be occupied again or whether more charges are possible. The next public court step is the June 9 preliminary hearing.
Author note: Last updated May 28, 2026.