Man Poured Gasoline on Wife, Tried to Set Her on Fire: Police

A Sunrise man is facing an aggravated assault charge after authorities say he threatened his wife with knives, doused her with gasoline and tried to light her on fire.

Khemraj Samlall, 43, was arrested at his home Sunday afternoon after a Sunrise police officer  responded to a domestic disturbance call, according to the arrest report.

Samlall's wife told the officer that her husband had come home drunk after a night out with friends and they got into an argument. At one point, Samlall pointed a butcher knife at his wife and told her, "I will kill you," the report said.

The argument cooled down but ramped up again, and Samlall grabbed another knife and pointed it at his wife, the report said.

Samlall went outside and started drinking again. While he was outside, he grabbed a can of gasoline, went in his bedroom and poured gas on his wife and the bed, the report said.

According to the report, Samlall then took a pink lighter from his pocket and tried to light his wife and the bed on fire.

Samlall told the officer that the gasoline had "accidentally spilled" on his wife and said he used the lighter "as a joke" and had "winked" at his son when he did it, the report said.

The officer said he could smell gasoline in the home and the smell was so strong he became lightheaded and had to go outside.

Samlall also admitted to using the knives to "scare her so that she would stop bothering me," the report said. The couple, who live together and have been married for 15 years, have a son and daughter.

Samlall's wife declined prosecution but he was arrested anyway, the report said. During Samlall's appearance in before Judge John Hurley in Broward bond court Monday, Samlall's wife wept.

"He's a great guy, He's just stupid," she told Hurley, saying she's not in danger and calling it a "one time thing."

But Hurley ordered Samlall held on $1 million bond.

"The court has no doubt if that lighter would have sparked, you wouldn't be here right now," Hurley said.

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