Cops: Southern California man made derogatory comment about Hispanics before trying to light man on fire with gasoline
/ AP
CBS News Sacramento
WESTMINSTER - A man was arrested after police said he threw a cup of gasoline on another man and tried to light him on fire in Southern California, authorities said.
Detectives were investigating the incident as a possible hate crime because the attacker "made a derogatory comment towards Hispanics" when he doused the victim in gasoline Wednesday in Westminster, police said in a statement.
The victim was sitting in his car at the time of the attack and was able to drive away before the suspect ignited the gasoline, the statement said.
The 36-year-old suspect was arrested after crashing while leading police on a short car chase. He could face charges including civil rights violations, attempted murder, and attempted arson, police said.
A motive was unknown. The victim and the suspect did not know each other, according to police.
We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.
Cops: Southern California man made derogatory comment about Hispanics before trying to light man on fire with gasoline
/ AP
WESTMINSTER - A man was arrested after police said he threw a cup of gasoline on another man and tried to light him on fire in Southern California, authorities said.
Detectives were investigating the incident as a possible hate crime because the attacker "made a derogatory comment towards Hispanics" when he doused the victim in gasoline Wednesday in Westminster, police said in a statement.
The victim was sitting in his car at the time of the attack and was able to drive away before the suspect ignited the gasoline, the statement said.
The 36-year-old suspect was arrested after crashing while leading police on a short car chase. He could face charges including civil rights violations, attempted murder, and attempted arson, police said.
A motive was unknown. The victim and the suspect did not know each other, according to police.
In:- Hate Crime
More from CBS News