THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 22, 1994 TAG: 9410220282
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
A 12-year-old boy charged with splashing gasoline on a Chesterfield County teenager and setting him on fire was not motivated by a similar assault in a nearby city last month, Chesterfield police said.
The boy, whose name has not been released by police, allegedly poured gasoline on the pants of a 13-year-old youth playing in a backyard and ignited him Sunday.
The victim, whom police also declined to identify, was treated for second- and third-degree burns by a family doctor and did not require hospitalization. His alleged assailant was released into his parents' custody. No trial date has been set.
Chesterfield police Sgt. Cliff Brady said there is no indication that the attack was a copycat of last month's burning of a 3-year-old boy by two neighborhood children in nearby Hopewell.
``The arresting officer doesn't seem to think the boy knew anything about it,'' Brady said.
Brady said the victim was in a back yard when the other boy, who apparently was playing nearby, got some gasoline from another yard and carried it back in a glass container. Moments later, the boy threw gasoline on the victim's pants leg and set it on fire, witnesses told police.
``He was able to put the flames out by pulling his pants down and smothering the flames,'' Brady said. The victim, who was in town visiting his grandmother, was treated for burns on his lower leg.
Police originally arrested a second boy, age 11, but dropped charges when the arresting officer determined he ``was not involved in a concerted effort'' to harm the teenager. The second boy may have helped lure the victim into the backyard, Brady said. The attack may have been motivated by a previous dispute, he said.
``They apparently (told the victim) they wanted to make up. . . so they could lure him to that address and assault him,'' Brady said. Police did not offer further details.
When questioned by police, the boy denied setting the teenager on fire, Brady said. ``He said the victim did it himself.''
On Sept. 19, 3-year-old Tony Dillhoff of Hopewell was splashed with gas and set afire by two boys, ages 10 and 11, in the alley behind his family's house. He was hospitalized with severe burns.
The two older boys were convicted of maliciously causing bodily harm last week. They will be sentenced Jan. 6. The 11-year-old is being held in the Crater Juvenile Detention Center in Prince George County, and the 10-year-old remains under house arrest. by CNB