From Fox News · Stepheny Price · · 1m 30s
A stranger, a lighter, and a fireball at the pump
A woman filling her SUV in St. Petersburg was set alight by someone she had never met, and police still cannot say why.
In brief
A woman filling her SUV in St. Petersburg was set alight by someone she had never met, and police still cannot say why. Police say the attack was random, the victim will survive, and the suspect faces attempted felony murder with no motive yet identified. Originally reported by Fox News.
Engulfed at the gas pump
A 41-year-old woman was filling her Volvo SUV at a Mobil station in St. Petersburg on Thursday night when a stranger walked up and lit the gasoline with a lighter, police said.
Second-degree burns, expected to live
Christine Sherbuk took second-degree burns to her arms and back and was rushed to Tampa General Hospital in serious condition. Police say she has been stabilized.
“They were able to get her stabilized, and she's going to make it.”
A bystander pulled her out
Scotty Gramling was parked nearby, ran to help as flames swallowed the SUV, got the injured woman into his truck and called 911.
“fireball”
Police were already on the way
Minutes earlier Gramling had called the non-emergency line about a fight across the street involving the same woman. Officers were en route to that when the pump attack happened.
Caught two blocks away
Officers arrested Eleanor Crawford, 41, within about 20 minutes. The affidavit says multiple witnesses saw her ignite the fuel and that video captured it.
No motive, no connection
Investigators say the two women did not know each other. Crawford faces attempted felony murder and two arson counts, held on $350,000 bond with a GPS monitor ordered.
“Why would she even do something like this?”
The main idea
Police say the attack was random, the victim will survive, and the suspect faces attempted felony murder with no motive yet identified.
