Man Accused Of Setting Woman On Fire To Be Set Free: Report

CAPITOL HEIGHTS, MD -- A Prince George's County woman is furious after learning that a judge is letting a man out of jail who is accused of setting her on fire while she was pregnant, according to a report.

NBC 4 reports that Andrea Grinage had burns on more than 70 percent of her body after 34-year-old Laquinn Phillips, her boyfriend at the time, doused her with flammable liquid and lit her on fire in Capitol Heights last September.

Phillips' trial was delayed until December and a judge is letting him be released as long as he wears an ankle monitor. He faces a charge of attempted murder.

"I don't understand how the judge would even consider giving him a second chance," Grinage told NBC 4.

Court records obtained by NBCWashington show that a temporary no-contact order was granted against Phillips on April 13, 2017. The order was dismissed after the unnamed petitioner did not show up in court.

Officers were called to the home in the 1400 block of Elkwood Ln. at about 11:47 a.m. Sept. 6 for the report of a fire and possible arson.

Police said Grinage was able to tell officers that Phillips was her boyfriend and that he was on the way to D.C. to "do more harm to a relative of hers," Prince George's County police spokesperson Jennifer Donelan said in the press conference.

Based on that information and additional investigation, detectives identified Phillips as the suspect. Upon speaking with a Prince George's County detective, Phillips agreed to turn himself in, police said. Phillips, a personal trainer who was recently accepted to be a D.C. firefighter, was arrested outside of his home in D.C. a short time later.

Phillips is charged with attempted first and second degree murder, arson, assault and several additional related charges.

NBCWashington reports Phillips cried during his court date Sept. 13, and his mother, Pamela Phillips, said: "This is not my son. My son could not have done a heinous crime like this. He's being portrayed as this monster."

"We've seen it enough to know, again, that even a person who has never been involved will make an irrational decision based on a temporary emotion," Prince George's County State's Attorney Angela Alsobrooks said.

Additional reporting by Patch editor Cameron Luttrell

Image via PGPD