Smithfield man pleads guilty in case where woman was set on fire

SUFFOLK

In a plea agreement, a 33-year-old Smithfield man pleaded guilty Thursday to unlawful wounding and abducting his girlfriend in August.

Milton Franklin Mizell Jr. argued with the Suffolk woman, according to court testimony. During the argument, he struck her and refused to allow her to leave. He then tried to set the woman on fire after spreading hair gel on her genital area. The argument followed Mizell's discovery that the woman had been intimate with another man earlier the same day.

Greg Matthews, Mizell's attorney, said that it wasn't his client's intent to set the woman ablaze. It was still dark outside, Matthews said, and Mizell lit a lighter so he could see.

Mizell had been charged with malicious wounding, attempted malicious wounding with a caustic substance, abduction and two counts of object sexual penetration.

The woman, prosecutor Charlotte Purkey said in court, was staying with Mizell.

"He spread the oil substance on her and lit it," Purkey said. "She ran into the street. He grabbed her, hit her, punched her, dragged her by the hair. She was nude, hysterical, with visible injuries."

Mizell will be sentenced June 11.

Linda McNatt, (757) 222-5561, linda.mcnatt@pilotonline.com