Stanley Paul Wilson Jr.

A man knew a woman was inside when he set fire this month to a Tyler home, which resulted in second-degree burns on the woman’s hands and face, according to an arrest warrant.

Stanley Paul Wilson Jr., 36, of Tyler was booked Wednesday into Smith County Jail on a charge of arson with intent to damage a habitat or place of worship and two counts of arson reckless damage of a building/reckless cause bodily injury or death. He remained jailed Thursday on bonds totaling $1.8 million.

Crews responded at about 1:15 a.m. April 15 to a fire in the 800 block of Mockingbird Lane in Tyler, according to the document. The fire resulted in the total loss of the home where it started, “severe” damage to a next-door home and the total loss of a vehicle parked next door. A 44-year-old woman who was inside the home that caught fire was taken to a Tyler hospital with second-degree burns on her face and hands and “evidence of smoke inhalation around her mouth and nose,” according to the arrest warrant. She was later taken to Parkland Hospital in Dallas for treatment.

The woman told medical crews at the scene that Wilson had set the fire intentionally to harm her because of “an altercation they had earlier in the night,” according to the document. Later, Kerbow told an investigator by phone that Wilson knew she was inside when he set the fire and she had confronted Wilson earlier that night “about taking her belongings.” He was mad at her, she said.

The woman said after the argument, she was in the bedroom when she realized the residence was on fire.

“She stated heavy fire and smoke were coming into the house from the garage area,” the document states. “(The woman) said she had to get low to find her way to the front door. When she opened the door to escape, there was a rush of air in and she was all of a sudden enveloped in fire. She made it out and took off her jacket that was still on fire. She then began trying to find help.”

The woman said Wilson was the only other person at the residence just prior to the fire.

Tyler police talked to Wilson as crews were fighting the fire on April 15, the document shows. Wilson told police he was just walking around. He was not detained.

Tyler Deputy Fire Marshal Larry Crowson interviewed Wilson on April 17 after Wilson was contacted by police. Wilson told Crowson he was around the neighborhood when the fire was set and that when he saw it from a distance he headed toward it. Wilson said he was not at the residence where the fire started, the document shows. He said he did not have anything to do with the fire.

Wilson said he sleeps outside the house “between the laundry and the house” but does not go inside.

“He said there was a lady staying in the house,” the document shows. “He said that she was very careless and implied that she probably started the fire.”

He said he did not know the woman’s name.

Surveillance video, however, showed Wilson around the backyard of the home in the time prior to when the home caught fire.

“In the video, Stanley Wilson is readily identifiable and the only person seen outside the house for at least an hour prior to the house being set on fire,” the document states.

The video shows Wilson had multiple fires burning in the backyard area of the home, according to the document.

“In the video, one of the fires that Wilson sets, is in fact the cause of the house fire,” the document states.

Wilson said he knew a woman was at the house. When he saw the house was on fire, the document states Wilson did not notify any emergency personnel that there was potentially someone inside.

“In fact, he traveled in a direction that kept him from being too close to the scene of the fire,” the document states.