# 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.
- Title: A stranger, a lighter, and a fireball at the pump · Fox News
- Summary: 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…
- Keywords: crime, florida, arson, st. petersburg, police, news, politics, stranger, lighter, fireball, pump, Fox News
- Source: Fox News — https://foxnews.com/us/florida-woman-accused-setting-stranger-fire-gas-station-leaving-horrific-burns
- Author: Stepheny Price
- Published: 2026-09-12T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: crime, florida, arson, st. petersburg, police, news, politics
## 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?
## Key takeaway

Police say the attack was random, the victim will survive, and the suspect faces attempted felony murder with no motive yet identified.