A Florida woman was engulfed in flames in a horrifying attack at a St. Petersburg gas station after a stranger allegedly ignited the fuel nozzle as she pumped fuel into her SUV, according to police.
The 41-year-old victim was filling up her Volvo at a Mobil station on 40th Avenue North Thursday night when Eleanor Crawford, also 41, approached her and asked to borrow her phone, police said.
The woman handed it over. Crawford then allegedly asked her for money, and when the victim refused, the encounter took a terrifying turn: Crawford pulled out a lighter and set the gas nozzle ablaze, police said. Flames erupted around the woman and her vehicle within moments.
Nearby witness Scotty Gamling saw the horror unfold and rushed toward the burning victim, helping her into his truck before calling 911.
He described the scene as “a fireball.”
In an eerie twist, Gamling had already called police about Crawford before the attack. He said he had spotted her involved in some kind of disturbance across the street, where it appeared an attercation broke out. Officers were reportedly already responding when the gas-station attack erupted, reported Fox13 Tampa Bay.
Police caught Crawford nearby within about 20 minutes.
Investigators say the two women were complete strangers and had no known relationship before the encounter at the pumps.
Crawford has an extensive criminal history that includes drug-and alcohol-related charges, according to police.
“I don’t know if alcohol and drugs were involved, but indicative of her history, there might’ve been something that diminished capacity there,” Assistant Police Chief Mike Kovacsev said in a press statement. “Why would she even do something like this?”
The victim suffered second-degree burns on her arms and back and was rushed to Tampa General Hospital. She is expected to survive.
“It’s kind of a unique case because you don’t see anything like this, especially something that results in such horrific burns,” Kovacsev said. “Luckily they were able to get her stabilized, and she’s going to make it.”
Crawford now faces attempted felony murder and arson charges and the investigation continues.
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