Oh, Mr Attorney Wise Guy shows up.

Give her the car back.

WTF !!!!!!!!!!

The victim gets the bills and the purpatratuer gets out from under the bills ??????? Something is very wrong here.

As there is with the armchair lawyers spewing thier 'she's at fault, who cares if she's the victim' crap...

Hmm. Im convinced that if you are mentally sane then you have no business being in or living in Florida. Hey Florida, why dont you slap her with a restraining order while you're at it? Makes about as much sense as everything else that happened and has happened in Florida recently.

you've got to be kidding me. You feel that BOTH of them should be held responsible. What are you thinking. I am jus so sure that she did not want to be set on fire and she did not tell him to do it. It is not her fault and therefore, she should not be held responsibile for towing and storage fees. This is victimizing her twice and, unfortunately, they way victims are treated like the criminals in court cases, she'll be victimized in court too.

It's the same in other states, too. In SC, if your car is stolen and abandoned, you still have to pay to get your car back (I know this from personal experience). Here, the state gets a cut of the towing and storage bill, and the state sets the price - so a 5 mile tow might cost $150. Florida is probably profiting off this woman's ordeal. Consider it their reward for failing her. This practice is sick and it needs to stop.

It should be against the law for the police and tow company to hook her car up to a tow truck. it was on private property. It is her personal item not the cops or the states to do with what they want. It could have been moved to a parking spot till she could have come and got it. If i was her i would just sue the state the tow company and the cops @!$%# em all they are dirty scumbags and lucky they dont get killed by the citizens for the @!$%# they put us through. No one with brain would ever move to florida and most people with a brain have already left that scumbag state and will never return to support a bunch of crooks that run that place. The rich forget its the poor that support them and make them rich run out the poor from your towns then you will have no one to take care of you or make you money then where will you be. lol f off losers

Disgusting. Judges and cops need to wake up. The woman tried to get a restraining order and it was turned down. The whole story is sickening. Poor woman. What is wrong with people? Just crazy.

A restraining order is worthless, the person the order is against, shows up, you call the police, the person leaves, the police arrive, takes a report, police leave, person shows back up. The police can't be every where at once. Sorry for the woman, hope they throw the ex boyfriend in the clink and throw away the key. Anyone who would set another person on fire is a low life....you know what I mean.

I'm not sure if I just missed it. Do we know for sure if the police had the car towed or the gas station?

A couple of years ago I was driving and got broadsided by a guy who ran a red light. I paid for the towing on my car because it's mine. In a case like this, if I were her I'd get my own car out, sign the guys car over to the towing company and tell them to sell the guys car for the fees and storage. Its not like he's going to be needing it anymore. They don't allow prison inmates to drive around.

Yes many states and counties are currently broke yet somefines have grown out of control and fail in the empathy dept especially for their citizens and in this case a victim of severe and torturous abuse.

They should be ashamed of themselves for failure to help a TAX PAYING citizen in need of their services as a result of horrendous abuse!

One drove a Mercedes and the other a Jaguar?

They couldn't leave the car sitting at the gas station, it had to be towed, but the victim shouldn't have to pay to get it back. It's like evidence the police hold until it's released by the court, it's returned to the owner without any charges. The story doesn't say what happened to the Jag; I like the idea of her trading it to the county for the charges, if she actually has to pay them.

Why is there surprised that they were driving a Mercedes and Jag? Why not? Are African-Americans incapable of being affluent enough to own such cars? Why is it a call for attention? I am absolutely sure she didn't purposely drive to a gas station to be doused by gas and set on fire.

If somebody shoots you, is it your fault? Isn't the person at fault the one who should be responsible for any cost associated with their criminal activity. What are we going to hear next; that the insurance company will not pay because it was not an accident?

Innocent victims of crime should not be held liable for any damages or costs resulting from the criminal act.

It's easier for the state government to make things black and white... no thinking involved. Would it be possible to have a crime victim's fees waived?

The car insurance will cover the costs. As one drove a MB and the other a JAG, that amount shouldn't break them. By the way Diverdown, learn the law. The police dept. doesn't have a say in a issuance of a TRO.

Based on that fact, she should have been able to hire a decent lawyer to handle the TRO. Sounds like they don't want to spend a buck.

Eight years with the guy would have long enough to see his true personality. No doubt she came to court with a he said, she said attitude. No word of any prior complaints of evidence of violence behind her statement. That's not enough to destroy another's life. Too many are issued with absolutly zero evidence. Or should they be issued solely upon demand? Or maybe the judge should be able to see into the future?

Thank you John Spruill, you are a voice of reason.

Wrong! John Spruill is a racist. No one said anything about the afluence of blacks. The point trying to be made was that the make of the cars are an indicator of the relevance of the supposed secondary victimization. Did the hospital victimize her too when it charged her for medical services? I suppose it would have been better to move and leave the car in the gas station parking lot where it would have been more likely to be vandalized or stolen.

John Spruill is responding to previous comments suggesting that these two have somehow done something wrong simply by driving a Mercedes and Jaguar. Racism by the previous commentors "might" have been implied.

Racism Stinks: You need to pay attention if you're going to throw around accusations like that. The hyperbole of race baiting is why so many people ignore it now. When everything is racism eventually nothing is considered racism because the result is the same no matter what.

For those women lovers who seize every opportunity to bash muslim countries for their treatment of women, look at your own house dude, first you set them on fire then you hit them with fines. Way to treat your women @!$%#s.

How do you know Mondesir isn't Muslim? I don't believe you could eat that whole shoe.

For azdad48 and trust_verify:

asdad48: "One drove a Mercedes and the other a Jaguar?"

trust_verify

"One drove a Mercedes and the other a Jaguar?" "That was my thinking.... Sounds more like a call for attention."

What in the word do your comments have to do with this story? Just because they drove nice cars doesn't change the circumstances. Nobody, but nobody, deserves to be set on fire and then victimized again about their car or anything else.

Have you no compassion?

"one drove a Mercedes the other a Jaguar" Bet neither of them works---they can pay for their own towing and he can do the time for the crime.

Florida again.

Thanks for pointing out the victim is African-American, as if that has any relevance. BTW, did the article mention her attacker's race? If so, I missed it.

My only thought when I read that one drove a Jag and the other a Mercedes was "wow, these people are successful, and he actually did this?" I was thinking how the types of people you see on the Jerry Springer show don't usually have that kind of wealth, but something this outrageous -- setting an ex-wife on fire over an argument -- is the kind of thing you expect to hear about on Jerry Springer -- not from upper middle class professionals.

gamer4life “It should be against the law for the police and tow company to hook her car up to a tow truck. it was on private property. It is her personal item not the cops or the states to do with what they want. It could have been moved to a parking spot till she could have come and got it.”

The station would have probably had to tow the car after it was there for a certain amount of time anyways. Plus would you want your car left at a gas station if it was a Mercedes?

Marty-3578909 – “In a case like this, if I were her I'd get my own car out, sign the guys car over to the towing company and tell them to sell the guys car for the fees and storage.”

We know his name was on her car, but her name may not be on his. Plus we don’t know if his car was towed or not. A good question would be why she hadn’t taken his name off of her car title. I wouldn't have a guys name on my title if we weren't married.

azdad48 – “One drove a Mercedes and the other a Jaguar?”

I was thinking the same thing.

John Spruill – “Why is there surprised that they were driving a Mercedes and Jag? Why not? Are African-Americans incapable of being affluent enough to own such cars? Why is it a call for attention? I am absolutely sure she didn't purposely drive to a gas station to be doused by gas and set on fire.”

No, but I think most people who can drive cars like that would be able to pay the towing charges without complaint. Or would pay to get the car back and then hire an attorney to get the money back from the towing company and/or city. Not to mention already having a lawyer to handle a restraining order.

SHAME on FLORIDA, and SHAME on America for being so callous to other people's needs.

They should have towed her car to her home after her husband viciously attacked her and set her on fire. Not tow some car lot where they rack up a 25 a day bill on a women that was in the hospital and couldn't do anything about it.

Maybe someone can get a church to help her out, but I doubt that will ever happen.

More Florida, huh? Can't we give them to Cuba?

What if the two were driving two hunks of junk? Would these comments be the same? It doesn't even matter if she could afford the tow or not. It's the principal of the thing. It someone ran into the back of you and caused your car to damage a light pole, wouldn't you be upset if you had to pay 3000 dollars to fix it while the one who caused it doesn't have to pay a dime? I have been hearing unsettling things about the state of Florida. I wouldn't want to live there. Seems justice has it's eyes wide open

Welcome to Florida, The Sunshine Stupid State.

You people need to be careful; That could have been Obama's Jag.

There are people that will only use people their entire lives whether to make themselves look good or get ahead, then there are people who will give and be taken advantage of their entire lives..

If we don't distinguish this fine line in and how our States, Governments and people in control treat people we're doomed as a society..The cops "should have towed her car home" its insane.

That's capitalism for you. Capitalism does not care who is hurt or who is hurt by it. It just wants its money and you to pay. The housing crisis and 8 years of The Bush Man J. R. proved this point rather strikingly. In fact if she doesn't have health care well... Pre existing condition.. ; ]

Sad.

Cheers

To those who wondered about what they were driving...seriously?

It doesn't matter if you have two jobs and drive a 20 year old lemon, or you have a decent job that pays a LOT of money, there are sick people out there that hurt others over a lot of stupid reasons.

I see, but we are exporting "US kind of freedom" to several countries currently? No wonder there is corruption, who wants to trust idiots like us?

I am surprised the "police" did not shoot and kill her, she looks like a perfect candidate in Florida, if we can go by Zimmerman and police standards (she should have listened to her man).---but I think she was in a Mercedes------that probably saved her from that.

She should simply send the bill back to them and go after them for failure to collect from the right person--but possibly he was white?-------And then---send for a 1 million Dollar harassment fee, taken from police salaries!, and the late fee for not paying that timely, should be 10,000 a month in late payment until paid in full!

Sarcastic?

Wake up USA and try and get organized just somewhat compared to western countries!

I don't think it needs to be said because looking at the above comments, everyone agrees how rediculous these fines are. This says so much about the local authorities and how they protect their citizens. Thank God I don't live in this county. Way to go Judge Barkdyll; a restraining order wouldn't have prevented these events, but this goes to show that there was justification for an order. I wonder if she'll get one now. May God protect her from any further harm. We see that the authorities won't.

So she is stuck with the bill just because her name happens to be the title of the car? Hey, she wasn't the one who caused the situation to begin with.

And denver bill 2, you best hope you're never the victim in this kind of situation -- because YOU will likely be stuck with the bill for whatever needs to be done to help keep others safe.

It seems to be the mantra of the uninformed or those with their hands stuck out waiting for someone to fill it... "Let the rich pay for it." or "Let the government pay for it." It is a tragedy that this poor woman was so brutally attacked. The question for this article is, "Who pays for her car to be towed?" Should the owner of the gas station have to pay? Of course not. Should the local government have to pay? Of course not, they are on limited budgets and get their funds from the public in taxes and fees. If you want government to take care of everything, then be prepared to pay for it... either in higher taxes or loss of freedoms or both. Ultimately someone has to pay for HER car to be towed... She got the bill because it was her car, it was in the way, and had to be moved. I am sorry she is a victim of a horrendous attack by her baby daddy but the expense for her car should rest firmly on her shoulders and no one else.

Dave-2478570;

What the hell does Obama have to do with this woman being burned -- and then treated as though SHE were the one who caused the fire?

Cheetah 822547,

Roosevelt Mondesir is not a Muslim name.............that's how MoeMoeSan was able to make his statement.

MoeMoeSan,

I agree with you, brother.

Dennis Chosen, you also had better hope that you are never in that kind of situation, because YOU will be stuck with all the bills, too. Just imagine, you're the victim of a brutal attack -- and they stick YOU with the bills for the ambulance, the court fees, the hospital, the dispatcher's salary, sending the cops to the scene....EVERYTHING.

Hey, it will be YOUR responsibility. The taxpayers and Government shouldn't have to pay for any of it........

Marty-3578909, you likely chose which tow company came to have your car towed and then chose to pay for it yourself. She did not get to even choose whether her car was towed.

Cheryl Haque; "Malcolm X", "Art Blakey", "John Coltrane", "Q-Tip", "Richard Thompson","Chris Eubank", "Larry Johnson", "Alexander Russel Webb", "Torquato Cardilli", "Jose Padilla", "Zheng He", "Adel Smith" and "Eric Carlson" are not Muslim names, either.

Fact is, there are no "Muslim names" at all. PEOPLE are Muslim -- not names.

*list of names from

bendaredundat

"one drove a Mercedes the other a Jaguar" Bet neither of them works---they can pay for their own towing and he can do the time for the crime.

So, what kind of car do YOU drive -- and do YOU happen to have a job? Yes, the question is relevant -- because YOU imply that a black person who owns a Jaguar or Mercedes doesn't work for a living.

@R. Scalzo

You might have had a bad experience with a restraining order, but you know absolutely nothing about domestic abuse, by either males or females especially, when there are children involved.

It is not that easy to just walk out after being told that your are stupid, nothing without that person, told they will take and hide the child until you stop looking for them, and beat until you are to terrified to leave, much less report any of it.

Too often you feel to ashamed to let anyone know that you were tricked by such a mean, evil person.

Ruin someone's life? By the time most abuse victims a brave enough to seek help, their lives are already ruined.

Agnon Memavia

Dennis Chosen, you also had better hope that you are never in that kind of situation, because YOU will be stuck with all the bills, too. Just imagine, you're the victim of a brutal attack -- and they stick YOU with the bills for the ambulance, the court fees, the hospital, the dispatcher's salary, sending the cops to the scene....EVERYTHING.

Hey, it will be YOUR responsibility. The taxpayers and Government shouldn't have to pay for any of it........

You see this is the difference between me and you, someone who is responsible opposed to someone wanting someone else to pay their way. I would not expect nor want someone else to have to pay my way. I was raised to be self reliant, not government dependent.

No worries Dennis. Hopefully when you are attacked and brutally assaulted, putting you in the hospital, all of your concerns will be managed while you are incapacitated.

It is NOT her fault her car wasn't moved, it was the fault of her attacker. Had she not been assaulted, SHE would have moved her car.

NO, the gas station shouldn't have to pay for it, neither should the government, neither should SHE. Her attacker is responsible for her car not being moved, he took that capability out of her hands.

Do you understand why you are wrong now?

You see this is the difference between me and you, someone who is KINDHEARTED and socially-aware, versus someone who simply wants to find a way to keep all their money as theirs, and screw everyone else. I was raised as an American, not a cold-hearted, inconsiderate, selfish, anti-social individual.

The attacker is in jail, so she is supposed to let it sit and collect fees until he gets out? NO, she should pay to get it back, then go sue him in civil court later with all of the proof, including the newspaper accounts and police reports to make him pay all vehicle and medical costs. I'd love to see her take him to task on Judge Judy or Judge Joe Brown. They'd make mince meat out of him!

But again, you are putting the onus on the VICTIM to be made whole again. Not only was she set on fire, she has to 'loan' this guy money to pay to get HER car back, because it was towed while she was incapacitated in the hospital!? And then she should wait to see if she gets a judgement for money, so she can get even after he set her on fire?

Do you see the logic failing in there? I do.

She pay the bill; then write it off as 'THEFT & LOSSES' when she does her taxes. I know she is a Black, so many White and Tea Party folks will jump down my throat now. They really don't like "their" tax dollars benefiting minority people.

I bet Rick Scott would be happy to give her back her car... just as soon as she submitted for a drug test that he wouldn't have to do himself :-)

This is the second article I've read about people being set on fire in Florida in one day.

Well...have them send the bill to you.

As unfortunate as these particular circumstances are, her name is on the title and she bears liability for the tow fees. Yes, she can then sue him for the fees since his name is on the title as well, under joint and several liability. The towing company did their job, they want to get paid and so they go to her. Just the other day, I tried to explain to a dear friend the risks imposed by leaving her name on the title of her 19 yo daughter's vehicle. With title comes liability. The law did not create an exception for these particular circumstances so on its face, she owes. Would it be kinder of the city to consider these circumstances before demanding their impound fees, etc? Yes, it would, but they are not required to. This is a very sad situation that evokes our compassion and our "fairness" reflex tells us she's been through enough; however, absent the city and towing company making an exception and eating the fees themselves due to empathy, she owes. It should be noted that in many jurisdictions, there are funds available to victims of crime for counseling and other services related to the aftermath of the crime. This may be an applicable situation if she resides in such a jurisdiction.

Or we could just send the bill to the judge that refused to give her a restraining order... That would work for me.

Ro Mar, I agree with you - the tow company did its job and should be compensated. However, I think it would be nice of them and the involved government agencies to charge her only for their actual costs, not late fees or storage fees

Right on Alisha Walker!!!! Right on...sounds like a good idea to me!

Hey, Don't blame the tow guy or the city for doing there job! They were just removing a hazard. The tow company charges a fee for services. She can in turn, sue him and recoup her fees that she is out. Another reason, if your not married, don't have your name on a joint title. If you seperate, get it removed. My ex was upset with me when I notifed the State that I no longer own the car he was awarded in our divorce. My fear was if he got into an accident, I could be a party in a lawsuit!

While I don't think it is right that the burned woman should have to pay the towing and storage fees, it is also hard to have sympathy for people who own Mercedes and Jaguars when it comes to money.

Agreed - I think the situation is horrible for the woman. BUT as you pointed out with a Mercedes and a Jaguar the fees should really not be a problem.

It might depend on the ages of the Mercedes and Jaguar. They could be new or they could be old clunkers.

What is the big deal about what they were driving? It doesn't matter if they were driving clunkers. The point is that she is being victimized again. And race doesn't have anything to do with it either.

FYI people, towing and storage costs should be the exact same amount per day no matter what kind of car it is. If it costs more for a nicer car, then there are grounds for a law suit, among other reasons besides that Some of these storage lots are a big scam.

I had someone that came to buy insurance for his car because in order to "collect his personal belongings" he had to show proof of insurance. All he wanted was his personal belongings and his intentions were for the lot to keep the car. There is NO law that stipulates you have to have proof of insurance to get your personal belongings, but you do have to have it to drive it off the lot. He had a valid Texas Driver's license and the title to the car.

There are cops that work with tow companies and storage lots and get a piece of the pie.

Ro-Mar @ 3.2 -

Thank you for that - surprising how many don't understand financial obligation.

For those of you who suggest that she should sell the Jag - Is it in her name? If it were in both their names, she couldn't unilaterally decide to sell it. It might be leased, it might have a heavy lien . . . Do you folks hanlde your own finances?

mpa, that would depend on whether or not the title was written as and or or. If written with an "and" connecting the names, both have to sign, or one has to have power of attorney, or proof of death of the other. If it has an "or" in there, either one can sign. There is a big difference there, and we don't know what the situation is. It is my understanding that it is her car that got towed, and that car is in both names, so she is stuck for the bills unless she gives up the car, and may be stuck anyway, as they may sell it at auction and not recover what they figure they are owed. Also, if there is a lien against the car, she will be stuck for that as well, and insurance does NOT cover tow bills unless the car was involved in an accident, and then only to a repair facility.

chester-- good points. and at the risk of sounding judgmental, there ARE good reasons to get MARRIED when you have a long term relationship with someone. (Not JUST for the benefit of the child!) Because if she had married him, she could now sue him for divorce, and any judge in the world would probably (in these circumstances) order that SHE get possession of EVERYTHING. She now could possibly get possession of his car, since her name is on it too, but it would be easier if they were married, even if they were separated.

Now she's stuck with all these bills, a car (hers) that has been soaked in gasoline and as a result probably has damage to its paint and will need a professional cleaning, and a bunch of legal bills coming too.

Tracey Cordie – “They were just removing a hazard... Another reason, if your not married, don't have
your name on a joint title. If you seperate, get it removed... My fear was if he got into an accident, I
could be a party in a lawsuit!”

The car wasn’t really a hazard, but it was in the way of the pumps. So it could have been the gas station that had it towed. I agree with you about not keeping someone’s name on the title if you’re not together.

chester-2048500 – “and insurance does NOT cover tow bills unless the car was involved in an accident, and then only to a repair facility.”

That isn’t entirely true. My son’s truck was broke down and the insurance covered to have it towed to our house. It all depends on the coverage you have with your insurance company.

MOmaid – “She now could possibly get possession of his car, since her name is on it too, but it would be easier if they were married, even if they were separated.”

I don’t know why she couldn’t just go get his car if her name is on it. It is not exactly stealing if her name is on the title... I don't think it is at least. The article said they were together for 8 years. Would that count for a common law marriage in Florida?

Married him?????? She would not give him an answer to a proposal because she was probably scared spitless of him. As far as their cars, we have no idea how new or old they are, so trying to extrapolate their earnings from that is not exactly going to work.

I don't know this woman and I feel bad for her because she did what victims of abuse are told to do all of the time. She went before a judge and was turned down for a protective order because there was not enough evidence. I'd like to know from the judge, is there enough evidence now?

She would have been better off had she had a gun and shot his backside. This would come under the heading of 'Stand your ground" right? Not being snarky, I really do want to know if she would have had the right to defend herself in this instance.

A restraining order is a piece of paper,not a force field that automaticaly keeps people away from you.
It would not have done her any good in this case.

I really do want to know if she would have had the right to defend herself in this instance.

Most "Stand Your Ground" legislation allows for defense in any location/circumstance you'd have the legal right to be in, meaning in example: the felon cannot claim self-defense whlie committing a home invasion. In any reasonable legal interpretation, the victim of an aggravated assault (and probably battery, or attempted murder) has no compunction to retreat... but retreating at high speed at the first splash of gas is exactly the proper response!

Firng a handgun, or even a stun gun, while soaked in gasoline is strongly discouraged, and I guarantee no one will do it twice... a cross bow, a cavalry saber, or even a 30-ounce hickory stick might prove helpful if the victim has muscle and gumption.

Really, other than the recommended public-place child transfer, she's kinda at the mercy of this weasel. Unless she's got six uncles built like Dwayne Johnson with a lot of free time, she's gonna have to continue to meet this psycho alone every time, for years to come. And of course the SOB knows it. If she can't bring along overwhelming force of her own, he just rattles her more every time they meet. And the court, presumably, mandates it. For the good of the children.

Seriously, after all the Florida/Mercedes/Muslim/towing company nonsense settles down... what the effulgent hell is broken in this "gentleman's" head that he arives at the conclusion that, "Yeah, soaking the b---- in gasoline and lighting her up in a gas station during a child transfer," is a good idea? The mother of his children, presumably a long-time love, the woman he wants to marry...

Man, I hate people.

My first thought too - FLORIDA. Of course it happened in Florida. Would you rather be set on fire or have your face eaten?

Each week more than 1000 new people move into the state of Florida. Native Floridians are outnumbered by non-natives 10-1. Speaking for myself, I'd be happy if all non-natives would go back home. In the last ten years three million people have swelled my state's population. They're breeding and straining the roads, schools and the aquifer.

Much of the crime committed is performed by people who are here temporarily. They've moved here for a while, they're immigrants, newcomers. If it weren't for their sudden desire for a sunny clime, their stupid crime would have been committed in New Jersey, Wyoming, New York, or any of a dozen other states. But, no, they had to come down here for the sun, the water or a job.

My family has been here forever. We have native American roots. Even including my uncle who hasn't been right in the head since birth, hundreds of us have been law-abiding citizens since before there was a legal presence in the Florida wild country.

Florida's the 4th most populous state in the US. We've got a bunch of diversity here, and a whole lot of it came from your state. Seems like people come down here, hit the heat and humidity and go batcrap crazy.

Hey ..... Peridot

My thoughts exactly. I live in Florida and there are some things I don't like about the state and there are some things I do like about the state. That's probably no different than living in any other state in the country. I think it is BS when some bonehead sets his girlfriend on fire you haters blame the whole state. This guy would have been a bonehead no matter where he lived. That's the same thing if you blame him because he is black. This guy will be an ass h--- no matter what color he is. The important thing here is that you recognized the fact that he is what he is because of the person he is .... not his color or where he lives or what kind of car he drives.

That is EXACTLY how I feel about the Wash/MD/VA area.

Uhm... how about her attacker....

sorry shes married to the attacker. thus the cars are both her responsibility if her name is on the title.

She'll have to try to recover the fees after the fact, but she has to pay it off now or she may have to pay it all under mitigation of damages.

I certainly hope the idiot Judge who denied her her restraining order is a bit wiser this day.

Sadly I think Steveoooooooooo is correct. She needs to sue the scumbag if she wants that money back.

She is NOT married to her attacker! She said he became abusive after not giving him an answer to a Valentine's Day Proposal. They're just victimizing the victim again. Florida should be ashamed, but then I don't think they know what shame is.

Sooo, you know her personally? You think that it's okay he threw gasoline on her and set her on fire? In front of the kids?? I don't care what her personal life is, it's none of our business. And what does that have to do with her being victimized by the very system that is supposed to protect? That monster who set her on fire should go away forever. She obviously chose a public space to exchange the child with him, thinking he probably wouldn't do anything crazy in public. And she should be able to get her car back. Sell his s h i t to pay the bill. And if you think it's okay for him to do this, why don't you just hop your happy a s s on the next plane to the middle east somewhere where they think it's okay to do what has been done to her.

What an ignorant, racist pig...Too bad you weren't the one on fire. A**

Gary -- She isn't married to him; they just own the car(s?) together.

Gary @ 6.2

The article indicates that they are NOT married - and that that was the cause of them breaking up. Reading comprehension is so improtant.

lorakittle - "You think that it's okay he threw gasoline on her and set her on fire? In front of the kids??"

In front of what kids? Or are you talking about any who were at the gas station? He didn't have their child in his car and that is why she was going to leave.

The people whose names are on the title.

Want to bet she's on the hook for the Jag's loan? So if she doesn't pay to get the car she will still be paying for the car loan. What a mess.

It isn't the Jag she is worried about, as that car left the scene with her supposed ex S/O. It is her Mercedes that is in impound, simply because she was unable to drive it away from the station, and had no one to move it for her. It would be his place to pay off, but her name is on the title, too, so she is stuck for any bills that come against the car, whether she was involved in making them, or not. Granted, she can sue him for the expenses, after she pays them and gets the car back, but that doesn't help her get the car back, or stop the storage fees from continuing to add up. Twenty five dollars a day is reasonable storage fees nowadays, even for an open lot dump, but that does add up pretty quickly, especially when you are a couple of weeks in the hole when you get out of the hospital.

They aren't married. Maybe she is, maybe she isn't.

Florida charges the same for towing and storage no matter what model car is towed and stored.

Agreed. This was an emergency anyway, she didn't leave the car there for the heck of it. She had no idea this would happen, there was no malicious intent. She was burnt alive and was in the hospital for crying out loud! For these jerks at the towing company though, it's all about money. If they won't forgive the debt due to a life-threatening emergency, then make the criminal pay for it, not the victim.

Yes you are! And you would be in any city.

Unfortunately that's not how communal property works. Which is partly why people get married: So they can tie another person to their stuff just as if it was an extension of themselves.

I feel for anyone who's been set ablaze and suffered these kinds of injuries and it sucks she's stuck with financial problems because of this man. Her bad choice to pick that man to be with will haunt her forever. She says a restraining order would have stopped him attacking her but I doubt that. A man who's willing to set his baby-mama on fire isn't likely to care about restraining orders.

Granted, he should be, but he is in jail, and pretty apt to stay there for a while, and probably has NO liquid assets she can get to. I would guess he was living pretty much paycheck to paycheck, and when he quit showing up for work, he had no more money. Plus, trying to get money from an inmate is even harder than squeezing blood from a rock. You can get a judgment, but there has to be something to act against before you can get a court order to have it seized and sold. In the meantime, SHE has to be sure all the bills are paid, even on the car, or she loses any right to recover on them.

chester-2048500 - He may not have liquid assets, but he does have his car that could be sold and probably some other things as well. How do you know he quit showing up for work?

THX,

"Her bad choice to pick that man to be with will haunt her forever."

Seriously, you aren't blaming the victim, are you?

Paragraph 5:

Mondesir, 52, is behind bars at the Palm Beach County Jail

Ok so while she was on FIRE, she should have had the wherewithall to call someone to take care of it right? Show me your evidence that she wants the ambulance ride and hospital care to be free.

Seriously, shirking her responsibilities? Did you even think about what you were saying before you started typing this drivel? So if YOU were the victim of a violent crime and your car was towed away, wouldn't you be looking to the person who PUT YOU IN THAT SITUATION to pay, considering THAT IS THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY?

Wow, so glad I learned better lessons from MY grandfather, may he rest in peace.

The towing and storage fees are not her responsibility. She did *not* asked to be attacked. All she wanted to do was to get her child at a predesignated time and place.

As for the Doctor's fees and ambulance fees. Yes, both, BOTH should be free. If you do not have insurance to take care of a life threatening situation, oh well, you don't have insurance. It is a given RIGHT to be able to live happy and healthy. Hear that? H-E-A-L-T-H-Y.

And as an EMT/Firefighter, I believe whole-heartedly that transport and stabilization en route to the hospital/treatment center should not cost someone a penny. I volunteered in a county that did not at the time, and still does not, charge ambulance or fire department fees, unless you use a private ambulance company.

I hope that you never have to endure this kind of torture. And if you ever need a doctor, surgeon, specialist, I hope you never have to face a large bill, and I hope that you never have to pay for ambulance fees. Or maybe I do, and then you will feel what it is really like.

Man, I wish we could take voter rights away from stupid people, some on these threads...grandfather. Sick

don't even waste comments on grandfather2041741. he's a troll.

"It's a given right to be able to live happy and healthy?" ... WHAT? What dream world do you live in? It's not a given right to do anything but live and die. There are people all over the world who are sick and unhappy. --- Get cancer? "Nope, it's my right to be healthy" *poof* good bye cancer. I don't feel good today, "nope it's my right to be happy" *poof* I am happy.

I am not a heartless person, and I think the county and tow company are sticking it to her, but at the same time, you are living in a dream world if you think "its a given right to be able to live happy and healthy".

Is it a given right for the doctors to do their jobs without pay? If so, then who would want to be a doctor. Scrap all the work and effort and do something else. I think doctors do overcharge, but if you think another human will put the effort into healing you for free then you are living in a fantasy world.

Karen @ 9.2 -

Try reading the Constitution. There is NO right to happiness or h-e-a-l-t-h-y guarnteed there. There is a right to the "pursuit of happiness."

You obviously have little understanding of financial responsibility vis-a-vis a vehicle. She is responsible by virtue of the title. Had she been hospitlized for months, should the store have suffered the loss of their use of their property? Should the tow company provide free service (assuming it isn't a city/county entitiy)?

"Free" ambulance and fire service? Really? My guess is someone paid - donations or (mmore likely) tax assessments.

Where do you people live?

Grandfather, it sounds like you need a new heart.

FMD--and all of you that are saying that this woman's costs should be free. NOTHING is free. It costs SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE.

I have every sympathy for this woman. But NO one has the RIGHT to have things given to them for free just because they are sympathetic.

There ARE 'redresses' for her in a court of law. Nearly ALL will require her to hire a lawyer, and if the cars are not late model, that may not be worth it for her. But if she is strapped for money, somewhere in her life she has made some bad decisions, whether it be to not get the training to have a good job, or to live with an abusive guy, or to have a child that you cannot afford--none of those require ANYONE else to bail you out. Much less fellow taxpayers.

I never said that the victim shouldn't have to pay anything. I did point out that the make of the cars had nothing to do with the victim's injuries.

As for my comment to Grandfather, I stand by it. I don't see anything in this article that says she wants everything for free, or that she is shirking her duties, etc. or asking for handouts. I have a problem with him blaming and lecturing the victim when he has no idea what is going on.

Grandfather, I am with you all the way.. I just don't get why she is whining about the fee.. If she drives a high end vehicle as this, she should have towing, etc...She should be whining about being burned.. She should be spending her time obtaining an attorney to keep this lunatic away from her children.

We all make our beds and this everlasting whining is making me sick.. I feel badly she was burned, I hope this low life gets whats coming to him from the legal end. Now heal your wounds, get up and turn your life around.

Grandfather sounds like an ABUSER...along with Jean.

She prob knew the restraining order wouldn't help, Mr Sunshine...but she tried to do what she could, I'm sure. I know from experience when my mom had a sick b/f, you can only do what the law allows you to. Of course, they can only do something when something happens. Not that you care.

As for being responsible for her car? I am assuming that she is, but since she was on fire at the time, in a lot of pain and trying to do that whole survival thing, she proably wasn't thinking straight. And since it wasn't something she went there for, since the @!$%# that threw gasoline on her and lit her up did so on purpose, HE should be liable for it all.

Grandfather, being treated for gasoline burns over 12% of your body prevents one from making phone calls. Period. No one can use a telephone during that time, they would likely be unconscious from sedation to treat the pain. Responsibility has nothing to do with it.

In addition, it would have taken hours when the police would have been investigating the crime. After the scene was processed and released (whatever time that was, it could have been 3:00 am) the towing company under contract with the city would have removed the vehicles. That's how it works.

Grandfather, if, as your handle suggests, you are old you are unwise about this topic. Perhaps you have wisdom on other issues. You certainly lack empathy and understanding here. When people are seriously injured, as this lady was, they rely on others to care for them. When it comes to thinking about where the blasted car is parked, that's very low priority. More important would have been, who was looking after her 4-year-old son and where were her other 2 children...or did you forget about them? The rest of us remembered. Children trump cars every time.

Lol.

No joke...and I bet he procreates...sick, another generation of idiots.

his time was up a long time ago...

amazonmom-- got a better one for you than that. If the cops search your home, even if you are later found to be totally innocent of what they thought you might have done, they are under no obligation to clean up your home.

Homeowner insurance covers those expenses. Be sure to make your payments.

My minivan was stolen in the Detroit area, was wrecked a few days later, and I was not notified that the car was in a storage lot for nearly 30 days. The insurance company was notified first, they were the ones who called me and told me where the vehicle was. Meanwhile, the storage fees were adding up. Insurance co. picked up the fees. The license plate had been switched, but the insurance and registration cards were still with the vehicle, police had my contact info, just chose not to contact me.

queenie--probably your insurance company paid it since it was WRECKED.

Essie--you could probably get the storage fees waived since they did NOT contact you.

Momaid - She (Essie) didn't have to pay. Her insurance company did.

Florida cut their Innocence program leaving people who did nothing wrong in prison in order to "save money". Don't you think Scott would have cut this program too? Someone has to pay the costs of his illegal voter supression.

The compensation programs are funded by federal grants from monies collected from criminal fines, restitution, taken assets, etc. They have not been cut, their monies have actually gone up as crime has increased. If you check the web, you'll see the Florida Compensation program is active and available. The problem is victims have to apply, nothing is automatic. And unfortunately, most victims don't apply.

She also needs to check with the Insurance Company.

Jay, most victims are told up front that it will do them no good to apply unless and until a guilty party has been tried and convicted of a crime against THEM. In the meantime, she is without a car, and the charges against her car keep on going up. A lot of the time, the prosecutor will advise you not to apply for CVC money, as it will simply slow everything down, and your chances of getting anything are two, slim and none.

Would that be the same as a "victim tort (sp)fund" like we have here?

Well, it is FLOR DUH DUH!

Yes, we did. We've had Republican Governors. Think there's a connection between elimination of the Innocence Project and the Republican Governors?

Duh. I can't comprehend why the aged population here in Florida keeps voting Republican. They're voting against Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security. What's wrong with them? Dementia?

Yep, amazing at how rethuglicans talk about victims rights then do a 180 when it comes time to pay the bill.

What's this have to do with politics? I'm not even a Republican or a Democrat and I can see politics have no place here!

The political whiners always have something to say. They have no place else to go to spread their hate-filled crap.

Hey, towing companies have the right to make a profit, too. Just like the banks charging you $35 for a $2 overdrawn debit account. That's considered acceptable.

Severed Head--ever worked in a bank? There ARE costs associated with an overdrawn check, and NO one makes you write a hot check. And if you didn't know those costs, that is your fault. Both my banks send me yearly pamphlets on how much those cost, and your alternative is to refuse that, in which case the person you WROTE that bad check to will charge you more than the bank.

Is there a county anywhere in the country that wouldn't charge for towing? Please, share with the rest of us the link of your home state and county where towing is free. I'd be interested to know where the government has enough funding that it doesn't charge those fees.

My thoughts exactly!

maybe...but this shouldn't happen to anyone. Maybe if something is done now you wouldn't have to worry about it happening to you.

Unfortunately you can't count on the laws to favor common sense.

Not attacking you mrm or xsited1, but how do you know the age of these people's cars? You can afford them if they aren't recent. Mercedes and Jags depreciate fast especially b/c of some of the QC issues some models had. I had one of each from the late '80's and was lucky to get 3 grand each from them when I sold them a while back (and they weren't unreliable beat jalopies then, either). The point is this district should at least look at the extenuating circumstances and at least allow her a short pay over time plan.

The story didn't mention the year of either car. A 2000 Jag convertable in excelent condition can go for under $12,000.

Slickbacksthe1 - The cars are late models, at least 2010. Look at the surveillance video. The MSNBC article is missing a lot of information so you'll have to go elsewhere to find it.

I lived in Dantona for 5 years, Saint Pete for 5 years, and melbourne/Sebastian area for 3 years. I see the law and legal system is still just as screwed up and backwards today as it was in 1975-1987. What a bunch of backwards rednecks.

I hope some smart judge like Karl Grube makes these fines disappear.

Both had a car I can't afford. How did they manage that!!

Maybe they work harder than you. After all, isn't that what the Republicans tell us?

NewTampaResident--please try to not blame the judge for this. Do you REALLY think that a guy who has no problem with setting his baby mama on fire would have been stopped from this by a piece of paper? SOMETIMES the restraining order just makes the animosity GREATER.

But I agree with you on concealed Carry!

Newsflash, he would never have been able to meet up with his baby's mother at a gas station driving her car. She could have had someone else pick the child up, basically handled these situations through a third party. So the judge DID contribute to this situation, even if there supposedly wasn't enough evidence.