Man Charged With Arson And Attempted Murder After Hammer Attack

WAREHAM (CBS) – A Wareham man is charged with attacking a woman with a hammer and setting a home on fire while she was still inside.

Flames ripped through a Restful Lane home on March 29. Initially, investigators said a woman was unaccounted for, but she was located several hours later.

On Thursday, Mondel Johnson was arrested on charges of attempted murder, arson, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He was ordered held without bail at his Friday arraignment.

Prosecutors said Johnson hit the woman in the head with a hammer, poured cooking oil over her and stomped her unconscious. He then allegedly lit the house on fire.

The woman fled the burning home after she regained consciousness. Kerry Andrade, who lives down the street, says she ran to his house.

"She was bleeding up, beaten all around, and didn't have too many clothes on, and no shoes on her feet, so I went into father mode," said Andrade. She then refused to call police but was eventually treated and released from Tobey Hospital.

Maritta Milne lives behind the home that burned down. She said a man who fled the house told her, "that they beat her bad and I said 'what do you mean by they?' and then he said 'I should be saying he.' He said she was bleeding, her head was bleeding bad, and that he clearly did not want her to get out of the house."

The Restful Lane home was completely destroyed in the fire.