Man charged with attempted murder in burning of homeless woman on Los Angeles bus bench

Published December 31, 2012

| Associated Press

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County district attorney's office has charged a 24-year-old man with attempted murder for allegedly setting a homeless woman on fire as she slept on a suburban bus bench.

Deputy District Attorney Sean Carney says Dennis Petillo is scheduled to be arraigned Monday. Prosecutors will ask that his bail be set at $1.03 million.

In addition to attempted murder, he is charged with aggravated mayhem.

Carney alleges that Petillo threw a flammable liquid on the 67-year-old woman, who had slept on the bench for years, then set her on fire last Thursday.

The victim remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

If convicted, Petillo faces a maximum of up to life in state prison if convicted. It's not known if he has retained an attorney.

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http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/12/31/man-charged-with-attempted-murder-in-burning-homeless-woman-on-los-angeles-bus/