Woman set on fire in L.A. as she sleeps on bus bench

A burned city bus bench seen in the Van Nuys section of Los Angeles on Thursday Dec. 27,2012 after police arrested a man for allegedly setting a 67-year-old woman on fire who was sleeping on the bus stop bench. / Greg Risling

LOS ANGELES Los Angeles police have arrested a man for allegedly setting a 67-year-old woman on fire as she was sleeping on a bus bench.

Authorities say the man, who is in his 20s, was arrested early Thursday. His name was not immediately released.

Police say the attack occurred shortly after 1 a.m. outside a drug store. A witness said he saw a man come out of the store and pour something on the woman before striking a match and setting her ablaze.

The woman, who may be homeless, was taken to a hospital and listed in critical condition.

CBS Los Angeles reports that just before the attack, witness Erickson Ipina reported seeing the suspect, who was dressed in a security jacket, buy what appeared to be rubbing alcohol from a nearby Walgreens.

"He just poured it all over the old lady and then threw the match on her and started running," Ipina said.

Ipina then chased the suspect.

"I said, 'Hey stop right there! Stop right there!' He kept running and I pulled out my cell phone and called 911 and then he just turned back on me and pulled out a knife," he said.

CBS Los Angeles reports that Ipina continued to follow the man until he was arrested by Los Angeles police for attempted murder.

Last week, a 55-year-old man was set on fire as he slept outside a doughnut shop in southern Los Angeles County. No one has been arrested.

More from CBS Los Angeles:

[maiingan]

Aside from the dreadful crime of setting a person on fire, which my fellow readers have already commented well about, there seems to be a lesson here for homeless people: don't sleep exposed in public. HIDE. In bushes, in a cave, somewhere where these criminals won't find you.

[MTWR]

I've read your comments here and below and I have a question. Are you really as stupid as you appear?

[VA_Jill]

What kind of lowlife cockroach would do something like this? I hope he gets the maximum sentence. And thank you to Mr. Ipina.

[BlueKnight1492]

When it comes to these lower than human excrement things,we need to look at the old testament again. A tooth for a tooth. If you hurt or kill someone,you get the same,in the same way without a 10 year waiting period.

[arkajun-2009]

If she had been armed with a Gloc, this would not have happened.

[Kovacsmaster]

The perpetuator of this crime deserves a very harsh sentence, but outta
be let off hook by simply being dispatched quickly (like a rabid dog) and
disposed of promptly.

[Brettzky1970]

Ban rubbing alcohol. Get rid of it. Everytime something crazy happens pick the object that causes the problem and ban it. No more rubbing alcohol!!

[eroteme2]

If they apprehend the doer of this insane deed, I suspect he will receive a light sentence, perhaps asked to do a bit of community service instead of serving a prison sentence of six months or so. It might be time for the regulation of matches, a ban on rubbing alcohol may not be the answer.

[marketmymark]

Don't listen to Mathion, the liberal twitt. You're absolutely correct in your sarcastic post, pointing out the idiocy of knee-jerk banning cries by these twits.

Well stated!