Man Accidentally Set Wife on Fire at Gas Station, Faces Charges

A Georgia man who made the ill-advised decision to flick his lighter right next to a gas pump is now facing criminal charges.  The man, 37-year-old Austin Dawkins of Clarksville, is facing a charge of reckless conduct for setting his wife on fire at a Clarkesville gas station on October 16th.  30-year-old Jessica Dawkins suffered second and third-degree burns to her head, back, arms and legs.

Video surveillance of the incident was released by fire safety commissioner Ralph Hudgens, and shows Austin strike his lighter before absent-mindedly lowering it to the gas pump plugged into his vehicle.  Flames immediately shot out and he quickly removed the gas pump from their car to avoid a potential explosion, but when he did that, flames clung to his wife’s back as she tried to flee. She can be seen falling to the ground as Austin rushes over to help her.

The potential charge, reckless conduct, is a misdemeanor that carries a $1,000 fine and up to one year in prison.