Beaumont Man Accused Of Lighting Woman On Fire Arrested After Tip: BPD

BEAUMONT, CA — A Beaumont man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of attempted murder, weeks after police said he doused his girlfriend in lighter fluid and lit her on fire.

Nicholas Norman, 38, was arrested around 12:30 p.m. near his home in the 600 block of Palo Alto Avenue, in the area of American Avenue and 6th Street, according to police and jail records.

He was taken into custody and to San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital "for evaluation" before being booked into the Banning jail, police said. Jail records indicate he was transferred to the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta, where he was being held without bail as of Friday afternoon on an attempted murder charge.

His next court appearance is scheduled for 8 a.m. Monday at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

Police said a tip led them to Norman, who had been on the run since Feb. 3 after a woman was hospitalized with burn injuries on over 30 percent of her body.

The victim's friend reached out to police for a "welfare check" shortly after she had been attacked, they said.

"The reporting party told police she was contacted by a friend who reported she had been doused with lighter fluid, lit on fire by her domestic partner and was taken to a home in the Olivewood community," Beaumont police said following the attack.

The burn victim, who was not identified, was taken by air ambulance to a hospital. An update on her condition has not been released.

No other injuries were reported.

If anyone has information about this case, please contact Corporal Chapparosa at 951-769-8500. Information can also be reported anonymously at crimetips@beaumontpd.org.