Man Bulldozes Home Wife Errands - Police in New York have arrested a man for demolishing his home with a rented bulldozer without informing his wife.
48-year-old James Rhein of Middletown was arrested on Monday after officials received distress calls of his actions. Rhein faces a felony charge of criminal mischief for razing his Woodland Ave property with an excavator without permission.
But Rhein says he tried to get a permit to demolish the house which has been ruined for years but couldn't as the office was closed for Martin Luther King Day. So instead of waiting he rented a bulldozer and razed the house.
Apart from the issues with cops, Rhein has other pressing questions to answer - specifically to his wife, Diane Andryshak, whose name the house was registered in.
Although they were not experiencing marital problems, Rhein demolished her one-story 840-square-feet ranch style home while she away running errands.
Andryshak was obviously upset when she discovered that the house had been demolished with all her things in it.
"He bulldozed all her clothes in there. Washer, dryer, furnace, hot water heater, everything was still in there. In fact, her medication was still in there," neighbor Steve Belfigilo said.
Authorities say nobody was injured as a result of the incident, however things could have easily got out of control since electric, gas and water companies were not informed about Rhein's demolition.
Rhein admitted that his wife was quite upset when she found that he had razed their home without informing her. "But now she's over it," he said. Adding that he and his wife had made up following the incident.
"We're good. I'm a good husband, what can I tell you?", Rhein said.
Rhein, who was released after posting a $300 bail, is scheduled to appear in the Middletown court on January 30.
