Investigators with the Jones County Sheriff’s Office did not receive the report of an April 24 assault until days after the victim was taken for treatment at the burn center in Augusta.
Roger Cecil Evans, 51, was arrested April 30 and charged with the crime of aggravated assault. He is currently being held without bond.
A report leading to Evan’s arrest by JCSO Investigator John Simmons stated he received information regarding the April 24 incident from a caller who advised him Evans had set the victim on fire before taking her to the emergency room. Simmons said he received multiple other calls from people connecting Evans to the crime but did not locate a witness to the event until April 29. The witness said she was at the Fox Road residence when Evans asked her to take him to get some gas for a generator that was powering the house. The witness complied. While they were at the store, she said Evans withdrew $100 from the victim’s bank account. The victim received an alert on her phone and immediately called Evans.
The witness said the victim and Evans started arguing as soon as they arrived back at the residence. She said Evans had the gas can in his hand and threw gas all over the front of the victim and started threatening her with a lighter. The witness was outside the house when she heard the victim screaming for help. When she got inside the house, Evans had put the fire out with a blanket. They put the victim in the witness’ truck and took her to the hospital.
The witness said she heard Evans call 911 to report he would be speeding to the hospital but declined an ambulance.
Simmons said the victim reportedly has third degree burns from her neck to her knees.
The investigation of the case is ongoing.
