Gal Upset With Christmas Gift Tosses Molotov Cocktail by Richard Marosi, Los Angeles Times December 28, 2003

A woman unhappy with a Christmas present from her former stepmother was arrested Sunday along with her boyfriend on suspicion of arson for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail into the ex-stepmother's Hermosa Beach home, causing $200,000 in damage, police said. Brandi Nicole Nason, 20, and her boyfriend, Marshal Abram Penna, 24, of Citrus Heights, allegedly tossed a lighted bottle of gasoline through the glass front door of Nason's former stepmother's home about 9 p.m. on Christmas Day, said Hermosa Beach Police Sgt. Paul Wolcott. "A bottle comes flying through her door and immediately lights up her living room," Wolcott said. "She was barely able to escape with her life.'' Wolcott said Nason was upset because she thought her former stepmother's Christmas present was inadequate. Nason also was angry that her father had to pay alimony, Wolcott said. Firefighters contained the fire on Gould Avenue to the first floor of the home, he said. Nason and Penna reportedly bought gasoline for the fire bomb and drove to the victim's home in Nason's car, Wolcott said. Penna ignited the wick of the Molotov cocktail and threw it, he said. Drug paraphernalia was found during a search of Nason's car, police said. Nason and Penna were being held on $25,000 bail. They were scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday.