MIDVALE — A Salt Lake woman is facing several charges accusing her of setting her boyfriend on fire.
Ella Giselle Nelson, 23, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with attempted aggravated murder and aggravated arson, first-degree felonies; obstruction of justice and aggravated assault resulting in serious injury, second-degree felonies; and criminal mischief, a class A misdemeanor.
On June 28, Unified police were called to a 7-Eleven, 186 W. 7200 South where an injured man was found in the middle of the road. Officers reviewed surveillance video from the store and observed the victim "on fire, running around the parking lot in obvious distress," according to charging documents.
The video also shows Nelson getting into a vehicle and driving away, the charges state. She was found at a nearby hotel.
"Nelson had changed into a red dress and hid the clothing she was wearing previously behind some furniture in the room," according to the charges.
Witnesses told officers that Nelson and the man were arguing while inside the parked vehicle at the convenience store and "they observed Nelson pour a liquid on (the victim) and then reach over with some ignition source, such as a handheld lighter. The witnesses describe seeing a blue light in Nelson's hand just prior to (the victim) becoming engulfed in flames. (The man) then jumped out of the car and ran toward the 7-Eleven as people tried to extinguish the flames," the charges state.
Prosecutors say the man remained in the hospital on Tuesday "having sustained significant burns over 20% of his body."
"Clearly, she cannot be safe in the community given her blatant disregard of safety," prosecutors wrote in the court documents while requesting that she be held in the Salt Lake County Jail without the possibility of posting bail pending trial.
