Man allegedly doused girlfriend in gasoline, choked child, threatened to burn house down, docs show

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A man was charged with two felonies after a domestic violence assault in which he allegedly doused his girlfriend and their home in gasoline, according to court documents.

Oscar Mendoza, 42, was charged with aggravated family assault and injury to a child after the alleged incident on Easter Sunday, records showed.

According to an affidavit, Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies were called to a house on the 4000 block of Apache Lane in northeast Harris County for a family assault call for service.

Investigators were told that Mendoza had been drinking and began arguing with his girlfriend when he pushed her, causing her to fall to the ground.

Court records go on to say Mendoza allegedly grabbed a container of gasoline and started pouring it all over the house and all over his girlfriend's body. The woman told investigators that the fuel caused a burning sensation on her skin.

Mendoza allegedly threatened to light the house and his girlfriend on fire, both verbally and by waving a lighter to the fluid, court records showed.

Investigators said that when one of the four children present in the house tried to stop Mendoza, he grabbed the 12-year-old by the throat.

Court documents show the Harris County District Attorney's Office accepted both charges against Mendoza.

Eyewitness News found previous records that showed Mendoza had a prior aggravated assault charge against a family member in 2006.

If you need help getting out of a domestic violence situation, call the Houston Area Women's Center 24/7 hotline at 713-528-2121 or call AVDA at 713-224-9911. You can also click here to chat with an advocate online. If you are deaf or hard of hearing and need help, call 713-528-3625.