FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – A man initially charged with arson in a tent fire that left a person badly injured is now accused of raping a woman, according to newly released Allen Superior Court documents.
Allen County prosecutors on Monday formally charged 35-year-old Myquel A. Beasley with a Level 1 felony count of rape, a Level 2 felony count of arson causing seriously bodily injury and a Level 3 felony count of arson causing bodily injury – as well as several other felony counts – in connection with a tent fire at an undisclosed location Oct. 3.
Beasley is accused of tossing what might’ve been a burning T-shirt into a tent occupied by a man and woman, according to court documents. The man and woman later told Fort Wayne police investigators it looked like Beasley threw a fireball into the tent, court documents said.
He is also accused of attacking the man inside with brass knuckles and cutting him with a knife. The man claimed in court documents Beasley bit him on the back during the attack, according to court documents.
The man was able to slam Beasley on the ground and put out the fire in the tent before Beasley ran away, court documents said.
The woman suffered burns in the fire, according to court documents.
In an interview with investigators, the woman accused Beasley of raping her in a different tent the day before the fire, according to court documents.
He is accused of threatening to kill the woman while brandishing a knife as well as brass knuckles, according to the court documents. After the threats, he’s accused of raping her, court documents said.
The woman said in court documents she was able to get away from Beasley once the rape was over. She then went to the man in the other tent to sleep for the night, according to court documents.
The woman and the man then woke up the following morning to a “whoosh” sound and the fireball being thrown into that tent, court documents said.
Beasley was arrested shortly after Fort Wayne police were called about the fire.
Along with the rape and arson charges, Beasley is also facing felony charges of intimidation using a deadly weapon, battery by means of a deadly weapon and domestic battery with a prior conviction, according to court records.
Beasley is being held in Allen County Jail.
