A Florida woman was left with severe burns after a stranger allegedly set her car on fire at a gas station in St. Petersburg on Thursday night.
According to police, 41-year-old Christine Sherbuk was filling her Volvo SUV at a Mobil gas station when Eleanor Crawford, also 41, approached her and deliberately ignited the fuel with a lighter. The resulting fireball engulfed the vehicle, leaving Sherbuk with second-degree burns to her arms and back.
Sherbuk was rushed to Tampa General Hospital's trauma center in serious condition, but police said she has been stabilized and is expected to survive. A witness, Scotty Gramling, who was parked nearby, helped Sherbuk into his truck and called 911 after the incident.
Police said they were already responding to a disturbance in the area when the gas station attack occurred. They caught Crawford a couple of blocks away within about 20 minutes. The arrest affidavit states that multiple witnesses saw her ignite the gasoline and that the incident was captured on video.
Crawford has been charged with attempted felony murder and two counts of arson, and is being held on $350,000 bond while awaiting trial. Authorities have not identified a motive for the attack, but Crawford has an extensive record of drug- and alcohol-related charges.
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