Tulsa Police Arrest Man Accused Of Burning Girlfriend

Kenneth McCurley, 23, is in custody on complaints of arson and assault with a deadly weapon. Victim tells doctor "it was not an accident."

Saturday, July 11th 2009, 2:30 pm

By: News On 6

Tulsa Police Arrest Man Accused Of Burning Girlfriend

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, OK -- Tulsa Police have arrested the 23-year-old Tulsa man who is thought to have set his girlfriend on fire during a domestic incident Friday.

His girlfriend, Nicole Partridge, called for help shortly after 1 p.m. Friday. She had been critically burned over about 80% of her body, from the neck down. She told firefighters that her boyfriend, Kenneth Kelly McCurley, lit her on fire after dousing her with gasoline, according to Bill French of the Tulsa Fire Department.

She remains in very critical condition as of 10:30 a.m. Sunday morning, French said.

Prior to being sedated, Partridge told a physician at Hillcrest that her injuries were "not an accident," according to the TPD report.

"He will try to say it was an accident but don't believe him," she said.

During his arrest interview, McCurley told Fire Marshall Scott Winford that he accidently splashed Coleman fuel on his girlfriend. McCurley also told authorities that he ran because she told him to, the police report states.

On Friday afternoon, police initially thought McCurley was barricaded in the home in the 300 block of E. 4th. Patridge told investigators that McCurley was inside cooking meth, but police but did not find him when they made entry. They did find some components of a meth lab.

McCurley is in David L. Moss Jail on complaints of first degree arson, $20,000 bond, and assault with a deadly weapon, domestic. He was taken into custody by the Wagoner County Sheriff's Department.

Partridge, 33, is in very critical condition in the Hillcrest Burn Unit. The police report states that she is not expected to survive her injuries.