An Autryville man who doused his estranged wife with alcohol and set her on fire during a supervised visitation for their daughter is now in custody as the woman continues to recover from severe burns.

Waylon Harold Strickland, 48, of 651 Saddle Club Road, Autryville, has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon intending to kill inflicting serious injury. Strickland was arrested at the Autryville-area residence on Tuesday and placed in the Sampson County Detention Center under $500,000 secured bond.

The victim, Angie Smith Strickland, was at Waylon Strickland’s residence on July 4, allowing for supervised visitation of their daughter, Sampson County Sheriff’s officials said.

”During the visit, the suspect and victim got into an argument and the suspect doused the victim with rubbing alcohol and then lit a match igniting the alcohol,” Lt. Marcus Smith stated. “After extinguishing herself, the victim sought medical care and the suspect fled the location.”

Investigators obtained warrants on Waylon Strickland the same day and deputies located and served the suspect on Tuesday at his residence. He was still behind bars Wednesday awaiting bond or trial.

Angie Strickland was treated for extensive burns and has since been released from the hospital. According to sources, shortly after fleeing from his residence, Waylon Strickland checked himself into a VA Hospital to receive a mental evaluation.

The age of the Stricklands’ daughter was not immediately known, but authorities said she is disabled and confined to a wheelchair.

“This is a horrendous act of violence and we are thankful the suspect is now in custody,” Smith said. “This is just a really bad situation.”

Along with the felony assault charge, Waylon Strickland was also served with failure to appear on charges of felony possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and open container/consuming alcohol in the passenger area.

He received an additional $2,000 bond for those offenses.

According to the N.C. Department of Public Safety, Waylon Strickland has previous convictions in Sampson that include assault and false imprisonment in November 2011, for which he received probation and a suspended sentence. In August 2014, he was convicted again for assault on a female and resisting officer, again receiving probation and a suspended sentence.

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Assault occurred during supervised child visitation

By Chris Berendt

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Managing Editor Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137 ext. 2587.