Hyatt’s The Driskill hotel in Austin is old Texas. It first opened in 1886, owned by cattle baron Jesse Driskill. The next year the hotel in the state’s capitol hosted the inaugural ball for Governor Sul Ross, and subsequent governors’ balls have been held there since.
This week a 77 year old guest on the property, who had stayed for 16 days, set fire to his room before checkout. He then went to the airport, and caught his flight to Houston.
Fire at the Driskill Hotel downtown. Firefighters tell me the fire was contained to one room. They had to cut power and have evacuated all guests. Cause of fire unknown at this time. Stick with @KXAN_News for updates. pic.twitter.com/HgWUU6FHDG
— Nabil Brent Remadna KXAN (@RemadnaKXAN) May 17, 2021
Driskill update, crews using the “Smoke Buster” to mitigate remaining smoke from upper floors. Investigators onscene for cause determination. pic.twitter.com/06W1OXICc6
— Austin Fire Info (@AustinFireInfo) May 17, 2021
The fire was in the man’s 10th floor room and caused $5100 worth of damage. Despite the significant response from Austin’s fire department, it was actually put out by sprinklers in the room. The man apparently left behind a bottle of lighter fluid.
Credit: Austin Fire Department
No one knows why the man did it. Perhaps he was made at limited service during the Covid era, or he forgot to register for Hyatt’s second quarter promotion and realize how many points he’d miss out on for such a long stasy. He faces a charge of Felony 1 Arson/Habitation and faces up to life imprisonment “or confinement of 5-99 years as well as a fine of as much as $10,000.”
Yup. That’s a mugshot of someone who would definitely do such a thing.
Oh wow, that’s just crazy – and sad. The Driskill has a lot of history and is a beautiful hotel.
Some typos to fix in the paragraph!
he was made at limited service during the Covid era
he’d miss out on for such a long stasy
Terrible typos. Try harder, Gary.
Just a nasty old burnout. What are we going to do with all these nut jobs?
Typo hell. Spell check my man..
Looks like he might’ve stumbled right out of one of our local luxury public encampments. Maybe he got tired of setting fire to tents?
I love the Driskill, but it’s kind of symbolic to what had happened to Dirty Sixth during the pandemic… Basically gone up in smoke.
It is a lovely hotel and while I do live in Austin I’ve stayed there for special occasions like NYE . . or a couple of cocktails at the hotel Bar. If you’re feeling adventuresome, drink excessively and book the room reported to be haunted on the fifth floor.
“I’ll show you the life of the mind!”
He looks fun at parties
Nutjobs like these need to be identified to authorities. Unfortunately, too many people excuse their anti-social behavior as eccentricity, as they blabber all kinds of nonsense. We as a society have become far too attenuated to the disturbed among us. We would rather walk around someone screaming on the corner than make the effort to call the police (and the police do us no favors by making the caller feel like a criminal for reporting it, but that’s another societal failing). The relative or acquaintance who clearly spouts nonsensical violent ramblings— this is serious. THAT is who we need protection from. Nobody “snaps”— the signs should be there that someone is losing control well before they get to the level of violence, IF WE ARE LISTENING. Please take it one step further and get them help, or at least notify someone who can keep an eye on them.
The story and the mugshot together remind me of this classic piece from the Onion:
https://www.theonion.com/neighbors-remember-serial-killer-as-serial-killer-1819564698
State’s capitol? You mean capital, surely. Unless the hotel is located in the same building as the capitol, i.e. the state’s house and senate as well as the governor’s office.
I like how everyone here just assumes he deliberately set the fire. Maybe he was just trying to heat up some food in his room because the hotel restaurant wasn’t open. How about a little more empathy for hungry people?
Retire to a prison, maybe? I spent my last $300 on this hotel, so I can live the rest of my life on the state?
Bitter old nutjob. Glad no one was injured or worse.
Or perhaps he did not want to pay his hefty hotel bill?
@ One Trippe – I live in Dallas but travel to Austin regularly. Maybe I’ll try what you suggest! 🙂
@SST
It’s sounds nice in theory but it is not workable in real life in the current framework and system. The government can’t lock up people unless they have made direct (unjustified) threats of violence. Mental hospitals can’t hold people forever and can’t hold someone who is not an immediate danger to self or others. Civil liberties protect people who are eccentric. The government holding people who committed no crime is dangerous.
The only way we can keep these people out is if towns were gated and closed off and controlled by a central authority who could end rental contracts or provide fair market value for property and force people to leave. It’s not a big issue if these towns are created voluntarily and with the consent of those who move there. Problem is pseudo civil rights activists don’t believe in private property rights and people being allowed to form a town with specific rules of residence and ownership. They’ll claim discrimination when certain groups are rightfully excluded because they commit a disproportionate amount of violence and commotion. If a group of people (race/religion/ideology/etc) want to live on their own property and exclude whoever, I don’t see a problem with it. Unfortunately, there are many people who don’t believe in freedom and belief in enslaving others under a system they don’t consent to.
People like this man and groups which commit a disproportionate amount of violent crime is why nice hotels are excessively expensive. 5 star prices keep out most of the riff raff with no self control. It sucks for those who are working class people, decent, and can’t afford 5 star prices. It’s why carnival has a history of constant fighting and commotion versus higher caliber cruise lines like Princess, RC, Celebrity, Disney, or etc. Half of the people on carnival are decent traditional family values people. Half are riff raff.
He should show the DA his Antifa membership card, all charges will be dropped.
Maybe Robert De Niro and William Baldwin can go talk to him.
Prison and easy access to some razor blades. Every old guy needs a close shave. He could have killed others through fire or through smoke inhalation. Should the innocent suffer? Society may promote leniency. After all he is 88. However if he reaches 90 he has a few more chances to murder a few people along the way if allowed to continue his freedom.
Drug lab, am I right?