Man struck by Taser gun bursts into flames

A MAN whose relatives say had been sniffing gasoline burst into flames after a police officer used a Taser gun on him as he ran at officials carrying a container of fuel, police said yesterday.

The man, identified as Ronald Mitchell, 36, was in critical condition at a Perth hospital in Western Australia following Monday’s incident in Warburton, an Aboriginal community.

Police said they were responding to a complaint when Mitchell ran outside carrying a cigarette lighter and a plastic bottle containing what they believe was fuel. When he refused to stop running toward them, one officer Tasered him.

The man was engulfed in flames. The officer threw him to the ground and smothered the blaze with his hands, the statement said. Mitchell was charged with assault to prevent arrest and possession of a sniffing substance.

A woman threw rocks at the officer as he tried to help, and he was later treated for a cut on his head and burns to his hands, police said.

The woman was charged with assaulting an officer.

Police spokeswoman Susan Usher said Mitchell appeared to have received third-degree burns to about 10% of his body.