An elderly man in Florida was arrested after he allegedly set a car on fire with his partner of 42 years inside of it after she broke up with him.
Franklin Davis was arrested after he was accused of attempted murder and arson in connection to an incident that took place on Friday, July 3, at a 7-Eleven in Oakland Park, according to a probable cause arrest affidavit written by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and viewed by Law & Crime.
Davis, 84, and the victim were in a car in the parking lot when they got into an argument. As the fight escalated, he allegedly pulled out a plastic bottle of gasoline and poured it all over the dashboard and front seats. He then allegedly ignited the gasoline with a lighter and caused “the interior of the vehicle to erupt in flames.”
The victim, who was sitting behind the driver’s seat, sustained third-degree burns to her right leg. Meanwhile, Davis had even more burns on his body. He sustained burns on his hands and face, which are visible in his mugshot.
The victim spoke to authorities about the incident, and she told them that she believed he wanted to “burn her up” inside the car.
The affidavit also stated that security footage “clearly captured” the incident as it took place “directly in front of the camera.”
Both Davis and the victim were taken to the hospital, where Davis reportedly chose to not speak with police without an attorney.
Authorities said that the couple had been in a relationship for 42 years before the incident, and she ended their romance just a few months earlier.
After he received treatment in the hospital for his burns, Davis was arrested and was taken to the Broward County Jail. He is currently being held in custody without bond.
Davis made his first appearance in court before a judge on Monday, July 6, according to WPLG. It is not currently known when his next hearing is scheduled for.
Davis, who attended the hearing in a wheelchair, was formally charged with premeditated attempted murder, arson causing bodily harm and criminal attempt, solicitation and conspiracy to commit a capital felony.
It is not currently known if Davis has entered a plea or trained legal counsel following his arrest. The Broward County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Us’ request for comment regarding the case.
The investigation into the case remains ongoing.
