Three men set woman on fire

By Jessica Stith
of The Daily Times Staff

Alcoa police detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying three suspects who threw firecrackers into a woman’s vehicle on Saturday morning, setting her on fire and badly burning her.

The driver of the vehicle, a 36-year-old Maryville woman, was transferred from University of Tennessee Medical Center to the burn center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville for treatment for her injuries. A 40-year old Maryville woman, who a passenger in the vehicle, was taken to Blount Memorial Hospital.

Alcoa Police Detective Kris Sanders said that the two women said they were on West Fulton Street in Alcoa at about 2:30 a.m. looking for someone in the Hall Community. He said three males approached the women in the vehicle and asked them who they were looking for.

Sanders said the women told the males the man’s name they were looking for and the males told the driver to circle the block and come back while they went and got him. The 36-year-old woman said she drove around and came back to the same location on West Fulton Street, where the three males began questioning her about why the women were looking for the man.

‘She catches on fire’

At that point, the women said the males threw several lit firecrackers in the passenger side window of the vehicle. They then threw a large “mortar type” firecracker, which landed between the 36-year-old woman’s back and her seat.

“It lands behind her,” Sanders said. “It fell between her and the seat. It goes off. The seat catches on fire and she catches on fire.”

The two woman told Sanders that they jumped out of the car while it was still moving. The 36-year-old woman was on fire and tearing her clothing off as she ran, Sander said. He said her vehicle hit a curb and stopped about 50 feet away.
The women ran to a house on West Fulton Street where a relative of the 36-year-old woman lived.

Alcoa Police Officer Jeremy Patty reported that the West Fulton Street resident said she woke up to someone banging on her door. She said she got out of bed to see what the commotion was about.

“(The resident) stated (the 36-year-old woman) advised her that she needed help and was taking off her clothing,” Patty reported.

The resident said she called 9-1-1 and brought something to cover the 36-year-old woman.

2nd, 3rd degree burns

Sanders said the 36-year-old woman was taken by Rural/Metro Ambulance Service to University of Tennessee Medical Center and was transferred to the Vanderbilt Burn Center later Saturday morning.

He said she was suffering from 2nd and 3rd degree burns that started at her waistline and covered a large part of the back of her lower body.

Sanders said the 40-year-old passenger had a small burn on her lower back and was taken by Rural/Metro to Blount Memorial Hospital due to chest pains after the incident.

Sanders said the suspects were described as three black males, all between the ages of 18 and 19 years old. The women said one of the teens had dreadlocks and the other two teens had short hair.

Sanders said the Alcoa Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the three suspects. He asked that anyone with information call him at 380-4964 or call the Alcoa Police Department 24-hour crime hot line at 380-4715.
Sanders said all tips and information are important and can help the investigation. He said callers’ identities will be kept confidential.