Suspect charged in 2 West Harris County house fires

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — A woman says a sword-wielding man accused of setting fire to her West Harris County home remained steadfast when confronted.

Jackie Gray said her cameras caught the movement around 4pm on Wednesday, prompting her to go outside to investigate.

Surveillance video shows Gray’s neighbor, Phi Le Nguyen, approaching her home with a can of gasoline.

ORIGINAL REPORT: A West Harris County man is accused of setting his neighbors’ houses on fire while armed with a machete

Gray said she found the smoking can propped against the wall of her home.

“I just saw you and I have cameras,” Gray can be heard telling the suspect.

“Yeah? What are you going to do?” he answers.

Before going to Gray’s house, the video shows Nguyen going to a neighbor’s house with a can of gasoline.

That house was also set on fire.

Both Gray and her neighbor were able to put out the fires, but surveillance video shows Nguyen returning to Gray’s home and dousing her driveway with gasoline, possibly in an attempt to start another fire.

“He actually started pouring it under my truck. Then he started pouring it all out in front of the driveway and everything else,” Gray said.

When he’s done, he can be seen near Gray’s driveway. At one point, he swung his sword, which Gray said she nearly fell victim to.

“He was walking with his sword raised in his hand as if he was going to attack me,” she said.

When Harris County sheriff’s deputies arrived, they reported receiving the same kind of hospitality.

Nguyen was charged with aggravated assault for threatening both Gray and the deputy.

“He went into his garage, still kind of swinging at the cops, and that’s when they eventually started beating him up,” Gray said.

Nguyen’s bond was increased to $200,000 as of Friday. He is scheduled to appear in court Monday morning.

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