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| Eschew Obfuscation |
This happened not far from where I live and has gotten a lot of media attention. The local rag recently got some more details and published a follow-up story. This lady is really going through some contortions trying to explain away why she torched her car.  http://www.dailyherald.com/new...was-a-freak-accident Reports: Barrington woman said torching SUV was a 'freak accident' Bob Susnjara A Barrington woman accused of using a flamethrower to torch her SUV in November told police she bought the device as a gift for her father and was assembling it when it accidentally went off, according to police documents obtained by the Daily Herald. The reports obtained through an open record request shed additional light on the arrest of Julie Gagne on arson, disorderly conduct and filing a false report charges stemming from the Nov. 10 fire and subsequent claim that the vehicle had been stolen. Gagne, 47, of the 500 block of South Summit Street, garnered national attention after the torching of her 2016 Infiniti QX70, but defense attorney Sam Amirante said he expects her to be exonerated, possibly even before the unusual case goes to trial. He described Gagne as a good woman with no criminal history. "I will tell you she is very personally upset over the whole matter," Amirante said. "And very upset, very scared over the whole matter. She's not at all familiar with the criminal justice system, and I think she's just really a victim of some really strange circumstances." Barrington police said Gagne used the flamethrower to set her SUV ablaze about 10:30 p.m. Nov. 10 in an office center parking lot on the 1500 block of South Grove Avenue, near Dundee Road. The Infiniti SUV, which has a sticker price of about $48,000, was registered in her name, police said. An investigation found Gagne used an X15 Flamethrower manufactured by Ohio-based XMatter to torch the SUV, according to police. They said the $1,600 device -- purchased online and legal to own in Illinois -- uses a mix of about 3 gallons of fuel and napalm to throw flames as far as 50 feet. Gagne told investigators she drove into the lot across the street from Barrington's post office because she wanted to assemble the flamethrower and have it ready to present to her father the next day, according to police reports. She reportedly told police "a freak accident" occurred when the device set her SUV on fire. "When I asked why she thought her (70-year-old) father would want a flamethrower, she stated, 'I thought he would get a kick out of it,'" Barrington police Detective Lori Allsteadt wrote in a report. Documents say Gagne unsuccessfully tried to use a portable fire extinguisher on the flaming SUV. Seeing the fire was out of control, she ran south to Dundee Road and called a friend for a ride to a Schaumburg bar, according to police documents. "She said that she freaked out and then left the scene and made a stolen auto report out with Schaumburg police because she didn't know what else to do," wrote Allsteadt. Police said they found two gasoline canisters near the 2016 Infiniti QX70 in the office parking lot, along with the flamethrower near a garbage bin enclosure. Reports list several other items collected at the scene, including napalm fuel-mix thickener, a CO2 canister, black duct tape, propane, wipes that remove gasoline odor from skin, a charred mobile device and a black drawstring bag containing an envelope with flamethrower operating instructions. Firefighters specializing in hazardous materials collected the items found in the lot, officials said. "That's the kind of thing that requires some technical capability to do it and do it right," Barrington Fire Chief James Arie said. Cook County sheriff's office evidence technicians who assisted Barrington authorities found a vehicle identification number printed in the SUV's frame, and it was traced to Gagne. She turned herself in to Schaumburg police Nov. 21. XMatter's X15 model personal flamethrower typically is used for controlled burns, weed incineration and pyrotechnic events. Gagne said a friend in Barrington used his credit card to buy the $1,600 flamethrower for her because she was unable to charge it on her account, according to police. _____________________________________________________________________ “One of the common failings among honorable people is a failure to appreciate how thoroughly dishonorable some other people can be, and how dangerous it is to trust them.” – Thomas Sowell | ||
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A Grateful American |
She shoulda claimed "Spider!". "the meaning of life, is to give life meaning" ✡ Ani Yehudi אני יהודי Le'olam lo shuv לעולם לא שוב! | |||
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Member |
Yet she was able to buy a 2016 Infiniti QX70. Living the Dream | |||
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Member |
Does "I didn't know it was loaded" work here? No cure for stupid I'm sorry if I hurt you feelings when I called you stupid - I thought you already knew - Unknown ................................... When you have no future, you live in the past. " Sycamore Row" by John Grisham | |||
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Tinker Sailor Soldier Pie |
Who wouldn't want a flamethrower? Idiot. ~Alan Acta Non Verba NRA Life Member (Patron) God, Family, Guns, Country Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan | |||
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| Eschew Obfuscation |
My personal favorite is:
 _____________________________________________________________________ “One of the common failings among honorable people is a failure to appreciate how thoroughly dishonorable some other people can be, and how dangerous it is to trust them.” – Thomas Sowell | |||
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| Go ahead punk, make my day |
Indeed. I just hope her insurance company tells her to fuck the hell off. | |||
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| Member |
Nationwide isn't on her side! Mayhem said no way. Allstate We don't want you in our hands. The Gecko won't save you 15 minutes. State Farm We aren't on your side. | |||
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| Member |
I'll take bullshit for $1000 Alex. I'll go out on a limb and say she was behind on payments. | |||
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| Lawyers, Guns and Money  |
 Was she behind on the payments? Did she file a claim with her insurance company after reporting it stolen?
LOL I wonder if she or her 'friend' were stupid enough to record the event on a cell phone.... The video would be amusing. "Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." -- Justice Janice Rogers Brown "The United States government is the largest criminal enterprise on earth." -rduckwor | |||
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| Do---or do not. There is no try. |
This will be the next Farmers Insurance commercial with Rickie Fowler. | |||
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| Member |
Why does it seem the only things missing are aliens and anal probes. | |||
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Unhyphenated American |
 __________________________________________________________________________________ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Always remember that others may hate you but those who hate you don't win unless you hate them. And then you destroy yourself. Richard M Nixon It's nice to be important, it's more important to be nice. Billy Joe Shaver NRA Life Member | |||
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Member |
The report said a mobile device was also torched. Does Applecare cover flamethrower accidents? Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. -Epictetus | |||
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| Member |
Once upon a time in a far away land ....... | |||
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| His diet consists of black coffee, and sarcasm.  |
No kidding!  | |||
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goodheart |
This thread is going just where I hoped it would. _________________________ “Remember, remember the fifth of November!" | |||
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Not really from Vienna |
Nothin fishy about any of this story  | |||
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Member |
2:40 second mark (My Favorite movie) | |||
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