Story Archive

Bulldozed

“I asked him — just kidding around — if he was going to knock down the house with a bulldozer,” said Steve Belfiglio. “And he said, ‘Yeah.’” Turns out his neighbor, James Rhein, 48, meant it. He and his wife of nine years, Diane Andryshak, had been renovating. But Andryshak came home and discovered the home was gone. Police say Rhein had demolished the Orange County, N.Y., house with a rented excavator. “None of my belongings were taken out,” said Andryshak. “Everything was in the house.” Andryshak says she and Rhein weren’t fighting. Now they’re homeless, she’s staying at a friend’s, and he’s out on $300 bail, charged with criminal mischief. Police say she owned the house. Also, he didn’t get a permit. (AC/WABC New York) ...Either that, or he left it in the house.