A Florida woman was charged with attempted murder after she lit a convenience store clerk on fire, local authorities reported.
Jean McFadden, 30, was reportedly begging for money outside the Pensacola Circle K station when she was asked by the gas station clerk “not to panhandle”, local ABC affiliate WEAR-TV reported.
Ms McFadden then went outside and grabbed a canister of gasoline and doused the woman behind the counter with its contents and proceeded to throw lit matches at her until she caught fire, Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said in a statement.
The Circle K employee was taken to hospital with “serious, horrific, life-threatening” burns, the sheriff’s statement added.
A second employee, who attempted to help their colleague in the midst of the attack, was also burned.
Ms McFaddden was apprehended down the road, the sheriff said, after a K-9 unit was deployed to assist in tracking her down.
The 30-year-old was arrested and charged with attempted murder and remains in custody at Escambia County jail.
