Man arrested after woman sets fire

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — A Vero Beach man is facing several charges after his roommate says he set him on fire.

Indian River County law enforcement responded to a call Friday involving a woman who claimed she had been beaten and burned multiple times by her roommate.

The victim said John Alexander Rodriguez Cardenas, 30, tied her to a chair, doused her with rubbing alcohol and lit her on fire five to six times. The victim said he also hit and choked her. She managed to escape.

“It’s truly a horrific scene,” Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said. “It looks like something out of a Quentin Tarantino movie, to be honest with you.”

According to the arrest affidavit, the victim's mouth was covered with red tape and she was tied to a chair while Cardenas repeatedly doused her with accelerant and attempted to set her on fire. A witness, identified as Cardenas' girlfriend, corroborated the victim's statement.

Neighbors told WPTV they suspected something was going on because cars were coming and going from the house at all hours of the night.

“Shocking. It’s right next door,” Elizete Donley said. “It’s just crazy. We need to know our neighbors better.”

Flowers said SWAT arrested Cardenas Friday at 6:56 p.m. from a residence at 2526 Sixth Avenue. They also found Cardenas in violation of a risk protection order, as a bag filled with shotgun shells and rifle shells was discovered. No weapons were found.

The sheriff could not say for sure what sparked the violence, but suspected drugs may have been involved.

“This is a known drug house to us and we know all of these parties were involved in this,” Flowers said. “It was a terrible circumstance.”

Cardenas faces charges of attempted murder, kidnapping and false imprisonment.

The victim was taken Friday to the Indian River Cleveland Clinic where he was treated for injuries sustained during the altercation, according to the affidavit.

“She went to the hospital. She was treated for all of her injuries and bruises,” Flowers said. “She will be fine.”