A Clayton County grand jury has indicted a College Park man for allegedly setting his girlfriend on fire in January, according to the Clayton News Daily.
Orville Cromwell Brooks Jr., 29, faces a 16-count indictment, including nine separate charges of aggravated battery, and attempted murder.
Court documents allege Brooks poured gasoline all over Tara Dania Best, 20, on Jan. 14 while both were in the bathroom of their Brookstone apartment. Brooks set her on fire and fled the scene, police said. Best also ran, falling onto the mattress in the bedroom, which also caught fire.
Best, 20, suffered burns over more than 68 percent of her body, with 40 percent being third-degree, according to court documents.
Best escaped the apartment, running outside. A neighbor grabbed a fire extinguisher and doused the flames covering Best's body, police said. Before Best was airlifted to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, she reportedly identified Brooks as the perpetrator.
When police arrived, they found a red gasoline container inside the couple's apartment bathroom and a burning mattress.
Brooks was arrested three days later at a Riverdale apartment.
As of Thursday, Brooks had not posted his more than $350,000 bond and was being held in the Clayton County Jail.
About the Author