A McMinnville man charged in relation to two fires since July now faces more legal trouble for allegedly assaulting his grandmother on Thursday.

Dominique Desean Cox, 23, has been charged with domestic assault for an incident which reportedly took place Thursday morning at the parking lot of Three Star Mall.

According to McMinnville Police detective Tony Jenkins, Cox and his 56-year-old grandmother were on their way to Kroger when Cox asked for some of her prescription medication. The grandmother said no.

This made Cox furious and he reportedly used a pipe to begin beating on her vehicle when she parked.

“He beat out the back window and a taillight and was beating on the car with the pipe,” said detective Jenkins. “He also kicked his grandmother in her calf. There was someone in the parking lot who witnessed all this taking place and called 911. He became aware that 911 had been called and fled the scene.”

Cox fled on foot and began heading toward downtown McMinnville. He was apprehended by Lt. Ben Cantrell on Health Way, which is off Sparta Street. He was jailed on $50,000 bond.

The incident continues a string of recent encounters between Cox and law enforcement. On July 28, he was charged with reckless burning after allegedly confessing to setting fire to a field on Magness Drive near the ambulance station.

In August, Cox was again charged with reckless burning after allegedly setting his grandmother’s hotel room on fire. Cox told police he was making rice on a hot plate and forgot to turn it off, which sparked the fire. Despite his version of events, Cox was charged.

The grandmother was staying at a local hotel in the first place because her home on Old Viola Road burned on July 19. Cox hasn’t been charged in connection with that fire, which started in the laundry room while the grandmother was doing laundry. Cox reportedly wasn’t home at the time and came walking up to the scene as firefighters were still on the property.