During a violent lover's quarrel - she was locked in a room, doused with gasoline and was about to be set on fire.
A malfunctioning lighter saved Celi Bardalez's life. Her common-law husband Jackson Juarez was arrested for the horrific crime and police slapped on chares of attempted arson, unlawful imprisonment, harm, and threat of death.
The charges stem from the incident last Friday at the couple's Guadalupe street residence. Papers filed in court say the two were quarrelling when Juarez locked her in a room and then began dousing the house with a liquid. He then attempted to light the house on fire. The lighter failed and Juarez is then alleged to have locked all the doors imprisoning her.
Juarez's first court appearance was yesterday and appearing by his side and as his chief defender was Bardalez. Bardalez asked the court to drop the charges against Juarez. That was easier said than done and Magistrate Harrison Hulett proceeded accepting not guilty pleas on the charges of attempted arson, unlawful imprisonment, and threat of death. The charge of harm is an indictable offense and no plea was taken.
The 20-year-old Juarez was let out on $2,000 bond.