San Bernardino man douses ex-girlfriend with gasoline, attempts to set her on fire

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (KABC) -- An 18-year-old man was arrested for arson, domestic violence and assault with a deadly weapon after he allegedly poured gasoline on his ex-girlfriend, attempted to set her on fire and punched her in the lip Thursday morning.

The victim, identified only by her first name Destiny, says her clothes caught on fire, but she was able to quickly take them off.

The incident occurred at a residence in the 1800 block of Genevieve Street at 7 a.m.

San Bernardino police say the suspect, identified as 18-year-old Eduardo Rios, allegedly showed up at Destiny's house holding a water bottle filled with gasoline. He allegedly walked inside and saw the victim lying on the couch with another man. That's when, police say, he became upset and dumped the gasoline on his ex-girlfriend and her male friend.

"He actually walked in my front door and he had a water bottle filled up with gas, and I was laying down on the couch and he just came in," Destiny said. "He asked me a question and he seen who I was laying there with and he just got mad, and the boy I was laying down with got up and was gonna fight him, but he just threw gas in his face."

Rios allegedly lit the gasoline and the couch on fire with a lighter. The small fire was quickly put out.

A fight between the suspect and victims ensued in the front yard of the residence. That's when, Destiny says, her ex-boyfriend punched her in the mouth. She says she'll need stitches.

Destiny says her ex-boyfriend "was just obsessed."

"He just don't know how to accept the answer no," she said.

The suspect's sister Nayeli Rios says she doesn't believe in the accusations. She says Destiny and Rios have a 1-year-old boy together and have been in a relationship for several years.

"I don't believe that he would light her on fire, but I believe that they were fighting, I believe that there was another man in her house," Rios said.

Destiny says Rios lit a box of cereal and threw it at her house in the past. The case remains under investigation by the San Bernardino Police Department.