BY GAYLA CAWLEY
LYNN — A Lynn man was charged with arson and attempted murder after he allegedly beat up his ex-girlfriend and set her apartment on fire Monday.
Euloge Gaston, 39, was arraigned in Lynn District Court and is being held without bail, pending a dangerousness hearing set for Aug. 9. He is also charged with burglary, assault and malicious destruction of property.
Police responded to 51 Memorial Park Ave. at about 1 a.m. following a report of a fire in a third floor apartment. While police were en route, a caller said she had a domestic abuse victim in her taxi cab, a 35-year-old woman who lives in the apartment. The caller relayed that the victim told her Gaston had assaulted her and set the apartment on fire, according to court documents.
The woman had a big lump her face and was crying and having difficulty breathing due to smoke inhalation, police said. The victim told police that Gaston broke into her apartment and woke her up when he tripped on a fan. She said Gaston sat on the bed, punched her multiple times and said “we’re gonna die tonight,” according to documents.
Gaston’s and the victim’s 17-year-old son came into the bedroom to help her. When the victim told her son to call 911, Gaston allegedly said “I’ll kill you if you call,” police said. Gaston allegedly broke both of their phones. The victim told police that Gaston kept going back and forth, grabbing stuff from the bedroom and taking it to the kitchen. She then noticed there was a fire on the stove and Gaston was feeding it with blankets and anything else he could grab, documents say.
The victim got out of the apartment with her son’s help, who was also allegedly punched by Gaston. On her way out, she stepped on broken glass by the front door where she told police access was gained to the dwelling. The woman and her son were taken to hospitals in Salem.
Gayla Cawley can be reached at gcawley@itemlive.com. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley.