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Man Bizarrely Doesn't Blame Girlfriend for Allegedly Setting Him On Fire and Using Urine to Put Out the Flames

Here's why Grady Spencer said the fiery incident was his fault.

The Pennsylvania man who was allegedly set aflame by his girlfriend now says the incident was a misunderstanding.

It was first reported that Grady Spencer III of The Penn Hills and his girlfriend Leigh Ann Sepelyak, 38, were involved in an argument. When Spencer fell asleep, Sepelyak allegedly doused him in gasoline and set him on fire. She then used a bucket of urine the couple used as a toilet to extinguish the flames. 

On Tuesday, Spencer told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review his girlfriend was innocent and he accidentally set himself on fire.  

Spencer said on the day of the fire, he was “completely drunk” and attempted to fix a weedwacker. During his attempt, he said he spilled gasoline on his lower body and when he lit a cigarette with a match, he caught on fire. He then added Sepelyak’s decision to use the urine bucket saved his life.

“If she didn't use urine, it would have been a lot worse. My crotch would have been melted if she didn't,” Spencer told the Tribune-Review. “I can only thank her for that.”

He said his girlfriend did pour urine from a bucket on him to douse the flames. He said the basement they rent doesn't have a bathroom so they use the bucket.

Sepelyak's parents, who live on the main floor of the home, took Spencer to UPMC-Mercy Hospital and staff there called Penn Hills police. Sepelyak was charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, arson and related charges. However, Spencer said the situation was a misunderstanding.

“Leigh Ann has never been in trouble in her life,” he said, speaking from his room in the Mercy Burn Unit. “She is in no way, shape or form a criminal.”

Spencer, who said he sustained second-degree burns on both legs, said he wants to testify in court.

“We've been together 10 years. She's not violent and would never hurt anybody,” he said. “She didn't do anything to me.”

He said he and Sepelyak plan to get married.

Sepelyak has been released from the Allegheny County Jail on a $100 bond and her preliminary hearing before DeLuca is set for July 17.

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