A federal grand jury Wednesday indicted a civilian Fort Leavenworth hospital employee on charges of attacking and injuring two women, one who he set on fire and the other who he attacked when she tried to help the victim, acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
Clifford Currie, 54, Leavenworth, Kan., was charged U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., with one count of assault with intent to commit murder and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon.
A criminal complaint filed Sept. 8 in the case alleged that Currie threw gasoline or some other flammable liquid on his supervisor, lit her on fire and assaulted her with a straight edge razor and scissors.
Co-worker Deanne Killian came to the supervisor’s aid when she heard screams and saw the supervisor on fire from the chest up. Killian was injured trying to put out the fire and stop Currie from continuing the assault on the supervisor.
Currie was subdued by hospital employees and then arrested.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the attempted murder count, and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other count. The FBI and the U.S. Army Military Police investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Flannigan is prosecuting.