James Island man accused of burning down his own home

JAMES ISLAND — Charleston County sheriff’s deputies have arrested a man accused of burning down his own home early Thursday during an ongoing family dispute.

Byron Minter of 1732 James Prioleau Road is charged with arson in connection with a fire that destroyed his house about 2 a.m.

An incident report describes an ongoing feud between Minter and his brother-in-law, who is also his neighbor.

Deputies said they first responded to Minter’s house about 8:20 p.m. Witnesses say Minter threw rocks at his brother-in-law, Eugene Frazier, because Frazier wouldn’t fix damage caused by a fight that happened inside Minter’s house about three weeks earlier. Minter was gone from the scene when deputies arrived.

Deputies returned to the house shortly after 1 a.m. after Minter’s wife told deputies that her husband called her from a cell phone and told her to get out of the house and that he would kill somebody, according to the report.

Minter’s wife told him she was leaving and was going to call police. She told deputies she believed her husband was calling from a van parked in the backyard of the house. Deputies checked the van and the surrounding area but couldn’t find him. Minter’s wife told deputies she and her family were going to leave for the night until things calmed down.

Dispatchers called deputies again about 2 a.m. and told them Minter’s house was on fire.

Authorities say the house was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived. The house was a complete loss.

Minter is scheduled to appear at a bond hearing this morning.

Check back with postandcourier.com as more details become available.