A 19-year-old Massachusetts woman lit herself on fire in a New Hampshire police cruiser after being arrested for allegedly trespassing and loitering, according to police.
Officers in Hampton say they saw Jeante Driscoll, of Leominster, trying to conceal herself outside Kennebunk Savings Bank on Winnacunnet Road around 10:20 p.m. Saturday. Police say they gave her a warning about loitering and told her to leave the area.
Later, police say they saw Driscoll next to the building again and she refused to leave.
As police were arresting Driscoll, they say she became agitated, and officers struggled to get her into the car. When they were driving her to the Hampton Police Department, Driscoll lit her clothes on fire.
Police stopped the cruiser, pulled Driscoll from the car and rolled her on the ground to put the fire out. Driscoll was treated at the police station by the Seabrook Fire Department, then taken to Portsmouth Hospital. The extent of her injuries was not made clear.
In addition to violations for criminal trespassing and loitering, Driscoll faces a misdemeanor charge of assault by prisoner for allegedly kicking an officer in the groin at the police station.
Driscoll has been released on $10,000 personal recognizance bail. She is due to be arraigned Oct. 2 at 10th Circuit Court in Seabrook. It was not immediately clear if she had an attorney.
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