CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A man who allegedly set his girlfriend on fire in South Charleston early Saturday was in jail Tuesday on arson charges.

Lt. R.T. Yeager of the South Charleston Police Department said Farley Allen Rhodes, 31, was charged with two counts of first-degree arson and one count of arson causing serious bodily injury for an attack on his girlfriend, 28-year-old Starlena Pratt.

Pratt was badly burned early Saturday when Rhodes allegedly set her on fire inside an apartment at 314 Third Ave. in South Charleston. Elaine Webber, who lives in the other apartment of the duplex, was home at the time but escaped injury, according to a complaint on file in Kanawha Magistrate Court.

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Lawrence Pierce

Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2008 - Police tape marks a home on Third Avenue in South Charleston where 28-year-old Starlena Pratt was set on fire early Saturday. Police arrested her boyfriend, 31-year-old Farley Allen Rhodes, and charged him with arson in connection with the attack.

Marcia Chandler, Pratt's mother, said she had gone to police last month because Pratt told her Rhodes had held her down and choked her. Chandler said Pratt begged her not to make the call.

"She said, 'Mom, please don't call the police,'" Chandler said Monday. "'He said he'd kill me.'"

Stevens, who dated Pratt until about two years ago, said Pratt told Rhodes just before the fire broke out that she was tired of being abused, and said she was going to stay with Stevens. Stevens said Pratt went into the house to get a tote bag, and had gone back for a second load when she came out of the house in flames. Stevens said he tried to put out the fire, and waited with Pratt until help came.

South Charleston firefighters responded to the fire just after midnight. They found Pratt in the yard, badly burned.

Rhodes appears in courthouse records as both Farley Allen Rhodes and Alan Farley Rhodes.

In 2000, he was arrested on domestic battery charges, court records show. The case was dismissed because the alleged victim, 53-year-old Barbara Rhodes, did not show up for court.

Domestic violence complaints were filed against Rhodes in 2003 and 2006, but those records are not available to the public.

Pratt was fighting for her life Tuesday at Cabell Huntington Hospital's burn unit. Rhodes was in the South Central Regional Jail on $100,000 bond.

Reach Rusty Marks at rustyma...@wvgazette.com">rustyma...@wvgazette.com or 348-1215.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A man who allegedly set his girlfriend on fire in South Charleston early Saturday was in jail Tuesday on arson charges.

Lt. R.T. Yeager of the South Charleston Police Department said Farley Allen Rhodes, 31, was charged with two counts of first-degree arson and one count of arson causing serious bodily injury for an attack on his girlfriend, 28-year-old Starlena Pratt.

Pratt was badly burned early Saturday when Rhodes allegedly set her on fire inside an apartment at 314 Third Ave. in South Charleston. Elaine Webber, who lives in the other apartment of the duplex, was home at the time but escaped injury, according to a complaint on file in Kanawha Magistrate Court.

David Stevens, a friend of Pratt's, said he, Pratt and Rhodes had been out drinking Friday night and had returned to the house where Rhodes and Pratt were staying when Pratt told Rhodes she was going to leave him. Stevens said Pratt had told him she was being abused by Rhodes.

Marcia Chandler, Pratt's mother, said she had gone to police last month because Pratt told her Rhodes had held her down and choked her. Chandler said Pratt begged her not to make the call.

"She said, 'Mom, please don't call the police,'" Chandler said Monday. "'He said he'd kill me.'"

Stevens, who dated Pratt until about two years ago, said Pratt told Rhodes just before the fire broke out that she was tired of being abused, and said she was going to stay with Stevens. Stevens said Pratt went into the house to get a tote bag, and had gone back for a second load when she came out of the house in flames. Stevens said he tried to put out the fire, and waited with Pratt until help came.

South Charleston firefighters responded to the fire just after midnight. They found Pratt in the yard, badly burned.

Rhodes appears in courthouse records as both Farley Allen Rhodes and Alan Farley Rhodes.

In 2000, he was arrested on domestic battery charges, court records show. The case was dismissed because the alleged victim, 53-year-old Barbara Rhodes, did not show up for court.

Domestic violence complaints were filed against Rhodes in 2003 and 2006, but those records are not available to the public.

Pratt was fighting for her life Tuesday at Cabell Huntington Hospital's burn unit. Rhodes was in the South Central Regional Jail on $100,000 bond.

Reach Rusty Marks at rustyma...@wvgazette.com">rustyma...@wvgazette.com or 348-1215.