Woman charged after man allegedly doused in accelerant, set alight at NSW home

A woman has been charged after allegedly dousing a man in an accelerant and setting him alight, leaving him with life-threatening burns.

The 23-year-old man, named in local media reports as Jake Loader, was found with severe burns at a home in Howlong, northwest of Albury in NSW, about 5.30am on January 7.

He was taken to Albury Base Hospital before being airlifted to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne, where he remains in an induced coma.

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Following an investigation, police arrested a 22-year-old woman as she travelled toward Albury in a vehicle along the Riverina Hwy at Howlong.

The woman was taken to Albury Police Station and charged with burning or maiming using a liquid, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

She was released on conditional bail and is due to appear at Albury Local Court in February.

A GoFundMe page created to help cover Loader’s medical bills said he had third-degree burns requiring multiple surgeries and skin grafts in the coming months.

“Jake is currently on a ventilator, however, has been responding,” the fundraiser said.

“Jake is set for a long road to recovery and the last thing we want is for those closest to him to have to deal with the financial burden of the ongoing medical costs.”

The GoFundMe had raised more than $36,000 by Tuesday afternoon.