Man accused of setting girlfriend on fire

BY JOHN PATTERSON
SALISBURY POST

CHINA GROVE - A 32-year-old woman was listed in serious condition this morning at a Winston-Salem hospital after her boyfriend allegedly doused her in kerosene and set her afire Tuesday night.

Sandra Provenzano Hammond is recovering in the burn unit at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, where she was airlifted Tuesday night. Meanwhile, her boyfriend, 45-year-old Van Edward Christopher, is in the Rowan County Detention Center under $100,000 secured bond.

According to investigators from the Sheriff's Office, Christopher, who shares a mobile home with Hammond at 1075 Roberts St., assaulted Hammond earlier Tuesday evening with an ax. Christopher allegedly hit Hammond in the face with the ax. Then, later that evening, around 10:30, Christopher allegedly used the kerosene to set Hammond afire.

A neighbor, who didn't want to be identified, said Hammond's burns were limited to her face and head. ''The kerosene was basically poured on everything above her shoulders,'' the neighbor said.

As Hammond ran out of the mobile home and across the street to a neighbor's house, Christopher ducked into a nearby house. Sheriff's Office investigators, after securing the area, forced their way into the house and arrested Christopher.

While details were still sketchy about how Tuesday's events unfolded, one neighborhood resident said Tuesday's incident stemmed from ''jealous squabbling'' earlier in the day.

Christopher and Hammond, who were ''in court'' Tuesday, started fighting when they got home, according to the neighbor. Christopher was apparently upset at Hammond over ''something that happened in court ... and that led to the what happened last night.''

Another neighbor, Delbert Barbee, who lives a couple doors down from Christopher, said he was shocked about what happened.

''Van (Christopher) would come down and cut my grass and do just about anything for me,'' said Barbee, who is recovering from a broken hip. ''I didn't think something like this could happen.''

Barbee, who recalled Hammond moving in with Christopher about two months ago, said the pair often fought, ''especially on the weekends when they drank a lot.''

''They fussed about every weekend over there,'' Barbee said. ''They were fussing over his drinking ... and he had a high temper when he drank. I finally had to tell them to just stay away from here when they were drinking.''

Christopher was charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. He is scheduled to make his first appearance in court Thursday.

Rowan County court records show that Christopher has spent time in jail for convictions ranging from driving while impaired, to violation of probation and possession of stolen goods.

The records also show he's been charged numerous times with assault on a female, but the charges were always dismissed.

China Grove Police Lt. David Miller said China Grove police have become familiar with Christopher's ''rampages'' over the years. Although arrest records since 1995 do not indicate China Grove police have arrested Christopher, Miller remembers arresting him at one point years ago.

''He lives one-tenth of a mile outside town limits, and usually when we went down there on domestics and assaults, we'd stop whatever was going on and hold him, and if he was arrested, it was usually by the county,'' Miller said. ''One of my officers was down there about a week ago on a domestic.''

According to the court records:

>In April 1985, he had his probation revoked, though the record does not indicate what he was on probation for. His sentence was limited to the 10 days he had already spent in the county jail.

>In October 1988, Christopher was found guilty of driving while impaired and driving with a revoked license. A judge sentenced him to 30 days in jail.

>In October 1993, Christopher was found guilty of possession of stolen goods and felony probation violation. He was sentenced to prison and ordered, among other conditions, to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

>A series of charges against Christopher have been dismissed including: injury to real property in December 1988, communicating threats and assault by pointing a gun in July 1991 and assault on a female in March 1986, August 1989, September and November 1990 and January and December 1991.