North Carolina man accused of setting woman on fire at traffic stop

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. – A North Carolina man is in custody, accused of  dousing a woman with a flammable liquid and setting her on fire Monday morning.

Venice Taylor, 41, of Jacksonville, North Carolina, was taken into custody Monday evening, according to a statement from the Kinston Police Department.

Khloe McNeal, 24, of Kinston, North Carolina, was in her stopped car at an intersectionMonday morning when an unknown person approached her and doused her with a flammable liquid and set her on fire.

McNeal was later found with severe burns on the side of the street by a passerby, who then flagged down an officer for aid. McNeal was taken to UNC Lenoir Medical Center, and then flown to University of North Carolina's Jaycee Burn Center, per the statement. Her condition was unclear Tuesday.

Taylor is being processed at the Lenoir County Jail, and release provisions have yet to be set, according to the press release. The investigation is still in its preliminary stages. It is unclear whether Taylor and McNeal knew one another.

Kinston officers have charged McNeal withattempted murder, malicious maiming, resisting public officials, driving with a revoked license, and failure to stop for a blue light and siren.

Contributing: Joshua Bote, Paste BN