Arvada Man Accused Of Setting Girlfriend On Fire While Camping
CLEAR CREEK COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - An Arvada man has been arrested for allegedly setting his girlfriend on fire during a camping trip.
John Vasquez has accused of attempted second-degree homicide, first-degree assault and domestic violence.
Investigators believe Vasquez, 32, set his girlfriend on fire during a camping trip in the Arapaho National Forest by pouring gasoline on her and then lighting her on fire. He allegedly laughed while she screamed.
"It's a horribly, serious, tragic case," said Fifth Judicial District Attorney Bruce Brown. "This is a unique case but I hate to tell you that it's not the first horrific, domestic assault that I've seen."
Deputies rushed to the campsite on June 17 off County Road 140 in the Barbour Forks area in Clear Creek County.
When they arrived they found the victim, a woman, with third-degree burns on about 60 percent of her torso. She was found near the campsite with Vasquez and her two sons, ages 7 and 10. She was flown by helicopter to University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora and was last reported to be in critical condition.
According to a GoFundMe site the woman's name is Christina Archuleta and nearly $4,000 has already been raised as of Tuesday evening.
Brown said the woman's sons should be considered heroes for how they helped their mom put out the flames and called 911.
"She was screaming and the boys, heroes in this case, and they ended up calling 911," said Brown.
One of her sons suffered second-degree burns while trying to help put out the flames.
Deputies found a gas can, beer bottles and a bottle of Fireball whisky at the campsite. The seven-gallon gas can was half full of gas and missing the pour spout.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation arson investigators responded to the scene.
Deputies interviewed the children and they were released into the custody of their father.
Vasquez remains in custody on $2 million bond. His previous record includes a 2015 conviction for criminal mischief related to domestic violence.
