Merritt Island, Fla. (WFLA) – A woman was severely burned in 50% of her body after her boyfriend took a nap and set the house on fire, according to an arrest affidavit.
66-year-old William Clements Jr. is accused of intentionally burning his girlfriend’s home in an attempt to kill her.
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Brevard County officials responded to the home fire on April 4th, where the victim was locked inside her bedroom. I found the bedroom on the other side of the house burning, from the corridor area on one side of the house. This is intentionally a fire indicator.
The early origin and cause of the fire was found to be from a five-gallon gas can, and it was found that half of the bedroom was filled with gas-smelling liquid, the affidavit said. Two additional points were discovered in a pile of clothing between two dressers and another garment in the center of the bedroom. Another 2-gallon gas container was found in the kitchen.
The neighbor said a man named “Billie” set the fire on and “hurried away.” Lawmakers, later identified as Clements, discovered that he was the boyfriend of a nine-month woman and had lived in the house for four months.
Deputies had to “force removal of the storm shutters” above the bedroom window, break the glass window and break the headboard to rescue her. Her dog candy was also in the bedroom and rescued through the window.
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“The fire hit the edge of the bed, and God saved her,” Angela Crusek told NBC affiliate Wesi.
The woman was having trouble breathing and she stripped the skin from her body. Authorities said she was burned to 50% of her body and could barely speak because her throat was burned. She was airlifted to a hospital near Orlando.
Officials spoke to the hospital victims. The hospital said he went to take a nap around 1:30pm when he woke up to the smell of gasoline. Seeing the flames under her door, she tried to leave the room, but couldn’t because the door was completely swallowed.
“He was lucky enough to not reach her or he’s going to have — we’d certainly have him poured gas on her,” Crusek added.
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As deputies tracked Clements on the nearby street, he asked them, “You’re here for me, right?” A fresh burn was found on his right index finger, and an accelerator was found in his shoes.
“The night before he brought her flowers and chocolate,” Crusek told Wesi. “I know I found multiple gasoline cans in the house. I poured them everywhere.”
According to the affidavit, the woman said Clements had previously commented on her. He previously zipped her hands together, punched her repeatedly, knocked her on her front teeth, and sexually assaulted her with knife points on separate occasions.
Clements is facing first-degree arson charges and attempts first-degree murder and cruelty to an animal that involves death, pain or suffering, court records show.
“He’s not successful in what he wants to do and it shows the strength of this family,” Crusek said. “Now, let’s rebuild it. Let’s keep him apart for the rest of his life.”
The document also reveals Clements’ violent history and refers to the Tennessee rape case in August 1993, where he was convicted of three counts of a spouse rape charge and a particularly aggravated trickery.
