LA police: Fire set on woman 'defies explanation'

 
No Author Published: December 28, 2012    Comment on this article Leave a comment

photo - A burned city bus bench seen in the Van Nuys section of Los Angeles on Thursday Dec. 27,2012 after police arrested a man for allegedly setting a 67-year-old woman on fire who was sleeping on the bus stop bench. Authorities said the man, who is in his 20s, was arrested early Thursday. Police said the attack occurred shortly after 1 a.m. outside a drug store. A witness said he saw a man come out of the store and pour something on the woman who had been sleeping on a bench before striking a match and setting her ablaze. The woman, who may be homeless, was taken to a hospital and listed in critical condition. (AP Photo/Greg Risling)
A burned city bus bench seen in the Van Nuys section of Los Angeles on Thursday Dec. 27,2012 after police arrested a man for allegedly setting a 67-year-old woman on fire who was sleeping on the bus stop bench. Authorities said the man, who is in his 20s, was arrested early Thursday. Police said the attack occurred shortly after 1 a.m. outside a drug store. A witness said he saw a man come out of the store and pour something on the woman who had been sleeping on a bench before striking a match and setting her ablaze. The woman, who may be homeless, was taken to a hospital and listed in critical condition. (AP Photo/Greg Risling)

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"I told her, 'Merry Christmas and happy New Year,' and she said she was doing good," Deol said. "She was so kind. She was happy to have someone talk to her."

Robert Wyneken, 75, who volunteers at a nearby church, called her the "sweetest lady on the street" who supported herself by recycling cans and didn't like to panhandle. He said there were efforts to get her housing and in contact with family, but she wouldn't have it.

"I just think she had something in her life where she wanted to be alone," he said. "She didn't want to be a burden to anybody."

Thursday's incident was at least the third in Los Angeles County since October where people were set on fire.

Last week, a 55-year-old man was seriously injured when he was set ablaze as he slept outside a doughnut shop in Norwalk. Two months earlier, Long Beach police said Jacob Timothy Lagarde, 27, allegedly threw a lit Molotov cocktail at a man who had been waiting for his father outside a store. Lagarde has since been charged with attempted murder and five other counts.

Los Angeles police are investigating whether Petillo might be tied to any other similar crimes, but at this point detectives don't believe he is, Cmdr. Andrew Smith said.

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