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Man accused of dousing wife in rubbing alcohol, setting her on fire

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Tenn. — Sheriff's deputies arrested a man Wednesday night on suspicion of dousing his wife in rubbing alcohol and setting her on fire last month, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

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Deputies arrested Todd Darrell Briggs, 35, following his indictment on charges of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault and aggravated arson.

His arrest came just over a month after deputies were called to Franklin Woods Community Hospital in Johnson City to respond to a report of a woman who had suffered severe burns.

Investigators met on Aug. 16 with the woman, who had second- and third-degree burns to her head, arms and torso. Authorities said her injuries were so severe that she had to be airlifted from the hospital to Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville.

Authorities determined her injuries came from a confrontation at a home in Gray that "was domestic in nature," investigators said.

"During an altercation with his wife, Briggs doused rubbing alcohol on the bedroom floor and also on his wife," officials with the Washington County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. "Briggs then lit the rubbing alcohol with (a) butane lighter, causing serious injury to the victim and … damages to the home."

Authorities booked Briggs into the Washington County Detention Center on Wednesday night. Bail was set at $50,000, investigators said. Briggs is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 2.