An Albert Lea man threw a mix of chemicals on his girlfriend, then set her on fire with a butane torch during an argument, according to criminal charges filed this week.
Forty year old Logan Netzer is charged with first degree assault in connection with the December 22nd incident, which left the victim with burns on 12% of her body. The charges say she had to be airlifted to a burn unit in the Twin Cities for treatment.
The argument, the criminal complaint alleges, started when Netzer used another woman’s name to refer to the victim. During the confrontation, Netzer took out a mixture of chemicals he’d mixed the night before, paint thinner, acetone and Styrofoam, a witness said, and threw it at the victim.
He then took out a butane torch and lit the woman on fire authorities allege.
The woman’s pants were on fire, so she rolled on the ground, but ultimately had to take them off, according to the charges. In addition to less serious burns all over her body, the woman suffered third degree burns and skin loss on her hand, the charges state.
The blaze spread to the house, which was determined to be a total loss.