A self-proclaimed “fire goddess” has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly setting a car alight while two people were sleeping inside, knowing the vehicle contained highly explosive propane tanks, according to California police.
Nicole Najlis, 30, known online as Cosmic Nymph, was arrested at a Pilot truck stop in Hesperia, California, shortly after midnight on Tuesday following reports of two parked cars in flames. Authorities from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department say she threw a match and set fire to a Honda SUV containing propane tanks and professional fire-effects equipment, causing the tank to explode within 30 seconds and the fire to spread to a second vehicle in the car park. Two people who had been sleeping inside the Honda escaped only because they woke to the smell of gas in time. No injuries were reported. Najlis was found nearby and arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and arson. Her bail has been set at $1 million.
The owner of the vehicle, James Bahr, a professional pyrotechnician with an explosives certification, told the New York Post what led to the terrifying incident. He, Najlis and two friends had been travelling home from a music festival in San Diego to Las Vegas when they encountered Najlis, who was homeless and had recently left an abusive relationship. Out of compassion, the group invited her to join them on the journey.
The situation deteriorated during a stop in Tijuana, where Najlis left to drink at a friend’s house before rejoining the group and becoming aggressive. Bahr says Najlis repeatedly demanded his prescription Xanax, growing increasingly confrontational as his other two passengers slept. “She kept harassing me for my Xanax and I wouldn’t give it to her,” he told the New York Post. “She got so upset that she had punched me in the head while I was driving.”
Bahr immediately pulled into the truck stop and ordered Najlis out of the car. When she refused, he began removing her belongings himself. It was at that point, he alleges, that she interfered with items inside the SUV, prompting him to notice the smell of gas. “As soon as I said, ‘what is that smell?’ she threw a match and lit the car on fire,” he said. Bahr believes Najlis was fully aware of the propane tanks and fire equipment inside the vehicle when she lit the match.
Najlis has built a public profile around fire performance, regularly showcasing fire art under her online persona. Footage of the burning cars went viral after the incident. Bahr described it as “a terrifying and life-changing event,” adding: “I got the car two weeks ago, so it was sentimental and we had just dropped like $2k on transporting it. This is just insane to me, I’m still shocked.” He has since launched a GoFundMe to help cover the cost of a replacement vehicle, saying he lacked insurance and that a new car would cost at least $12,000.
