Des Moines man douses woman with lighter fluid Sunday

33 year old Derek Brownell's in the Polk County Jail after Des Moines police say he doused a woman with lighter fluid and threatened to set her on fire.

It happened Sunday morning around 5am in the 52 hundred block of SE 8th Street in Des Moines.

Police say the assault began earlier Saturday evening, with Brownell hitting the woman with a frying pan. He also broke down a bedroom door, ripped out light switches and put his hand through walls in the bedrooms of two kids who were sleeping.  

Police say that Brownell told the woman to kill herself then poured the lighter fluid on her upper body, neck and on the floor.

He didn't set the woman on fire but police say he had a lighter nearby.

He was booked on charges of 1st degree arson, Domestic Abuse Assault with the intent to inflict serious injury, along with two counts of child endangerment.  He was being held without bond Sunday.


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content