Police: Woman Lights Security Guard on Fire, Kills Herself in Jail

News9.com

MIDWEST CITY, Oklahoma – A woman who was arrested after lighting a security guard on fire killed herself early Saturday morning in the Midwest City jail, Police Chief Brandon Clabes said.

Andrea Ilena Sampson, 30, Del City, was found dead inside her cell during a jail check Saturday morning. She apparently hung herself with a blanket, according to a police department press release.

Sampson was arrested after an incident with a security guard at the Huntington Place Apartments, 1400 N. Midwest Blvd., around 3:20 a.m. Saturday.

Sampson approached the guard and asked for a ride. According to the guard, Sampson was carrying a one gallon can of gasoline, and he agreed to take her to the nearest gas station but she would have to ride in the back. 

Sampson told the guard, "I don't ride in the back seat of stranger's cars," and then opened up the front passenger car door.

At that point, Sampson lit some money on fire and threw it on the guard, catching his uniform on fire.

Thinking Sampson was going to pour gasoline on him, the guard drew his weapon and he and Sampson started struggling over the gun.  During the struggle, one round was fired into the driver's door, according to the police press release.

The guard was able to get control of his gun, and Sampson then fled on foot across the street to another apartment complex.

A Midwest City police officer found Sampson at the other apartment complex, and she was arrested without any problems.

Sampson was booked in the Midwest City jail on a complaint assault with a dangerous weapon.

At 9:30 a.m., jailors conducted a standard hourly jail check. Sampson requested some aspirin.  She was found dead in her cell an hour later in a portion of her cell that is out of view of surveillance cameras. Other female prisoners were in the same jail section but housed in different cells and could not see Sampson, police said.

The Midwest City Police Department has one of the largest municipal jail in the state with a capacity of 70 prisoners. 

The jail processes an average of 4,200 prisoners per year and has not had a suicide related death since August of 1998.