Montgomery man set car on fire with victim sleeping inside, court documents say

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Court documents filed Wednesday laid out a disturbing attempted murder case in Montgomery.

The filings say a man was asleep in his car on Grace Street early Tuesday morning when 33-year-old Chato Williams allegedly poured gasoline on the back of the vehicle and set it on fire.

A witness told authorities Williams had been searching for gas and asked them if they had any, to which they replied no.

A bystander was able to pull the victim out of the car, and he was treated for smoke inhalation, according to investigators.

Evidence collected at the scene included a plastic bucket and a 1 gallon gas container.

Williams was soon located on Ann Street, less than a half mile from the scene of the crime, and he was taken into custody.

According to court records, Williams told investigators that he poured gas on the car and used a lighter to start the fire. He said he “had some beef” with the victim, and he had to “show him he can’t mess with him.”

Williams was asked by investigators if he wanted to kill the victim, and court documents allege he told them “no, he just wanted [the victim] to burn to learn his lesson.”

Williams is facing an attempted murder charge, and currently being held in the Montgomery County Detention Facility without bond, jail records show.

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