Man set woman on fire after she ignored demand to ‘get him a beer,’ NC cops say

A woman lounging on a couch was set on fire after a man decided she didn’t act fast enough in getting him a beer, according to police in western North Carolina.

The woman’s blouse was burned off, but she survived the assault without serious injuries, the Sylva Police Department said in a Nov. 22 news release.

It happened around 7:15 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 21, at a home on Chipper Curve Road in Sylva, about a 160-mile drive west from uptown Charlotte.

“This investigation revealed that Patrick Tyson and a female had a verbal altercation. Officers learned that Tyson had grabbed a bottle of isopropyl alcohol and poured it on the floor and then the couch where the female was sitting and then he lit the alcohol on fire,” police said.

“According to the victim, Tyson stated he would set her on fire if she didn’t get him a beer, then ignited the couch, causing both the couch and her shirt to catch fire.”

The fire charred the couch, burned the carpet and caused smoke damage throughout the home, officials said. It was brought under control by the Sylva Fire Department, officials said.

Tyson was arrested and charged with: felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, felony first-degree arson, misdemeanor assault on a female and misdemeanor injury to personal property. Bond was set at $750,000, officials said.

Investigators described the incident as a domestic dispute, but did not provide details of the woman’s relationship with the suspect.

This story was originally published November 24, 2025 at 4:53 AM with the headline "Man set woman on fire after she ignored demand to ‘get him a beer,’ NC cops say."