October 18, 1980. A despondent 19 year old woman poured gasoline over herself in her car and set herself on fire yesterday, then ran onto a junior high school athletic field where spectators leaving a soccer game smothered the flames.
The woman, Peggy Hayes, of 17 Marion Street, was listed in critical condition at the Nassau County Medical Center. Police did not know why she was despondent. Police said that Ms. Hayes drove her car into the woods behind Great Hollow Middle School at about 10AM. The school is a few blocks from her house. She then poured about a gallon of gasoline on herself and set herself on fire. As dozens of fans were leaving the athletic field after a soccer game, she came out of the car screaming, onto the field, engulfed in flames. Bystanders threw her to the ground and smothered the flames. Roger DeRocco was the Chief of Department and the OIC. FD EMS stabilized her and then she was transported by helicopter to NCMC. (Note, Suffolk PD would not fly due to weather. Nassau PD handled the medivac instead). She was admitted with a 25 percent chance of survival, with burns over 70 percent of her body.
Ms. Hayes died from her injuries on November 3, 1980 at the Nassau County Medical Center.
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