Police say one woman blamed a cigarette while the injured woman described a deliberate attack.
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Court records in Broward County outline an attempted murder and arson case built around one central dispute: whether a Hollywood apartment fire was an accident during a fight or a deliberate gasoline attack.
The case names Kymesha Tarpley, 48, as the defendant and Rachel Price as the woman injured in the fire. Tarpley is charged with attempted second-degree murder with a weapon, first-degree arson and second-degree arson. Price has said she suffered second- and third-degree burns, spent weeks in the hospital and remains in pain. Tarpley has pleaded not guilty, and a calendar call is listed for June 18.
The probable cause affidavit begins at the apartment building, where Hollywood police responded after a report of a fire. The officer who wrote the affidavit said Tarpley greeted police and described a fight with her roommate and former girlfriend. Tarpley said Price had been upset because Tarpley’s small dog was annoying her in the living room. According to Tarpley’s statement in the affidavit, the argument moved toward a balcony door, where the two struggled and the door hit a gasoline container.
Tarpley’s statement framed the ignition as accidental. She told police the container spilled gasoline on the floor and that Price, who had a lit cigarette, jumped back and dropped it. The cigarette then ignited the fuel, Tarpley said. Police recorded that account but also took a statement from Price. Her version was direct and much shorter. “She tossed gasoline on me,” Price told an officer, according to the affidavit. That statement became a key part of the case as investigators and prosecutors reviewed the fire, injuries and physical scene.
Price later gave a fuller account in local interviews. She said the argument happened inside the apartment and that Tarpley left before returning with a gas can filled with gasoline. Price said she questioned Tarpley about the can. She said Tarpley then tossed gasoline on her and threw a lighter, leaving her no time to react. “She watched me burn,” Price said. Price said she screamed, tried to cover herself with a jacket and realized the flames had already burned her face, arm, leg and hair.
Investigators have not publicly released a full fire analysis. The records and reports now available describe the gasoline container, the lighter, the balcony door, the cigarette claim and the injuries, but they do not provide a final public explanation of burn patterns or accelerant testing. Officials also have not said whether surveillance video captured any part of the fire or whether nearby residents saw Tarpley leave and return. Those gaps do not end the case. They mark the evidence prosecutors may have to present later if the matter goes to trial.
The case changed after the first round of charges. Early local coverage from the courthouse described Tarpley appearing before a judge on arson and aggravated battery counts after police said gasoline was thrown during a confrontation near an apartment building along Emerald Pointe Drive. Later reports said the charges were upgraded after Price went to the Hollywood Police Department to finish pressing charges. The attempted murder count turned the case from an aggravated assault and fire investigation into a prosecution alleging an act that could have killed Price.
Price’s injuries are part of the legal stakes. The affidavit said she had burns to her face and neck and was taken to a hospital, where she was intubated. Price told reporters she was hospitalized for nearly a month. She said her face had second- and third-degree burns and that she did not feel like herself. She also said simple acts such as eating or talking on the phone were difficult. Local reports said a fundraiser was started to help with medical expenses and the need for a different place to live.
The fire response added another witness layer. A fire marshal living below the apartment heard Price scream, smelled smoke and ran upstairs with a fire extinguisher, according to local reports. Price said she wanted to thank him for saving her life. His response could matter in court because he was close enough to hear the emergency unfold and help put out flames or control the fire. Public reports do not say whether he gave a sworn statement or what details he heard before reaching the apartment.
For now, the public record presents two opposing claims. Tarpley told police the gasoline spilled after a balcony-door struggle and a cigarette caused the fire. Price said Tarpley came back with gasoline, threw it on her and ignited it with a lighter. Prosecutors must prove the criminal charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Defense attorneys may question the chain of events, the physical evidence or the reliability of witness memories from a fast and traumatic fire. No trial date has been listed in the public reports reviewed.
The location also matters because the alleged fire happened inside a residential building, not an open outdoor area. That is why the case includes first-degree arson, a charge tied to dwellings or buildings where people may be present. Apartment fires can endanger neighbors, first responders and residents beyond the immediate target. Public reports have not described other injuries in the building, and they have not said whether other apartments sustained damage.
Price has spoken publicly about the emotional shock of the attack as much as the physical pain. She said she was grateful to be alive and said she thanked God each day. She also said she did not wish the experience on anyone. When asked what she wanted for Tarpley, Price said, “I just hope she finds the help that she needs.” Her comments placed the survivor’s recovery alongside the criminal case now moving through Broward County court.
The next scheduled step is the June 18 calendar call. Until then, the case remains defined by a court file with an accident claim, a survivor’s accusation, serious burn injuries and upgraded charges that accuse Tarpley of trying to kill the woman she once lived with.
Author note: Last updated May 7, 2026.