Utah Woman Fighting For Life After Man Covered Her With Fluid And Set Her on Fire, Police Say

Detectives are questioning a man suspected of dousing a woman in fluid and setting her on fire at a hotel in Utah.

The 34-year-old woman was allegedly attacked at Studio 6 hotel at 975 East 6600 South at around 3 a.m. on Thursday.

The victim then had an unknown flammable liquid poured over her before she was set ablaze on the unit's patio area outside.

Local media report that the incident was witnessed by people nearby.

The victim, who has not been named, was taken to the University of Utah Burn Center where her exact condition is unknown at this time.

Police say 70 percent of the woman's body was covered in burns. She entered the hospital in critical condition.

Murray City Police had been hunting for Andrew Todd Curtis who they named as a suspect in the case and had taken to Twitter in a bid to track down the 44-year-old.

Alongside pictures of Curtis, police said in the tweet they were treating the incident as an aggravated assault and said: "A 34-year-old female was burned over 70 per cent of her body when the suspect poured and unknown accelerant on her an lit her on fire.

"The victim and suspect in this case are known to each other."

Police said after the incident Curtis fled on foot.

However, police have now announced that Curtis has been arrested.

In an updated tweet, police said: "Andrew Todd Curtis has been taken into custody. Updates or further information will be provided as it becomes available."

Local media reported he was arrested at around 11 a.m. on Thursday morning.

The fire is understood to have caused minor damage to the building.

Newsweek has contacted Murray City Police Department and is awaiting any updates.

Although police have not revealed the relationship between the victim and the suspect, the incident is the latest example of violence against a woman to hit the headlines.

On its website, the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition said a third of all women in the state will be victims of domestic abuse at some point.

A media statement said: "One in three women in Utah will experience domestic violence in her lifetime, and one in seven men. The isolation and uncertainty of 2020, due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic, has resulted in increased demand for domestic violence crisis services, including shelter. In response, domestic violence providers across Utah have come together this October for a Domestic Violence Awareness Month campaign called #StoptheViolenceUtah."

Anyone who would like to find out more can go to www.stoptheviolenceutah.org