Editorial note: Since the posting of this story, Fernando Calcutt has been released from the Marion County Jail without charges after police and prosecution found the story given by Inez Calcutt implausible as to how the fire was started. Without physical signs of injury from the alleged punch to the face, no charges have been filed on that claim, either.
CENTRALIA — A Centralia woman was treated and released earlier this week for second degree burns, and her 40-year-old husband is now in the Marion County Jail accused of throwing gasoline on her and setting her legs on fire.
Fernando Calcutt Sr., was arrested Thursday after Centralia police questioned him in the incident that occurred early Sunday morning on the Calcutt’s front porch.
Inez Calcutt told police she tried to pat out the fire on her legs but ultimately used a can of beer she found on the porch to put out the flames.
Inez subsequently drove herself to SSM St. Mary’s Hospital for treatment of second degree burns on one of her legs.
Police were unable to locate Fernando immediately following the incident, but he called police Thursday and was brought in for questioning.
A domestic disagreement reportedly led to the incident, during which Fernando is alleged to have first punched his wife in the face and then threw what is believed to have been gasoline on her as she attempted to leave the home, ultimately tossing a cigarette lighter at her and setting her legs ablaze.
The husband, however, said he dropped the can of gas he was holding when fumes caught fire as he lit a cigarette.
Calcutt was the victim of a September 2015 shooting incident in Centralia that led to a nearly 5-month manhunt for the 25-year-old shooting suspect Charles “Squirt” Collins. Collins, who was shot in an August incident that left 24-year-old Dustin Rhynes, of Irvington dead, was arrested earlier this week in Michigan on an outstanding warrant in connection with the alleged shooting of Calcutt and is awaiting extradition back to the Marion County Jail, where Calcutt is currently housed.