Woman fights off carjacker before he sets house on fire

A 38-year-old Utah man is in critical condition after attempting to steal a woman’s car.

Frances Mach, a 69-year-old Saratoga Springs woman, pulled into the driveway of her daughter’s house when Christopher Bigler got into the passenger seat of her car.

Mach told KSL he demanded she take him somewhere, but didn’t specify where. She said he then put a hand on the steering wheel and “smacked” her with the other.

“I just rolled up my fist and I nailed his head about three or four times and told him to get out of my car. And he did. He kind of fell out,” she said.

She said Bigler seemed surprised by her fighting back. Mach called police when Bigler ran inside the home, breaking through a window, police told KSL. When in the house, police said a fire was started in the upstairs master bedroom, although they do know yet know how the fire was started or what the motive for the fire was.

When police were able to reach Bigler, police said he had suffered burns, cuts and smoke inhalation. He remains in critical condition at University Hospital.

“She’s a tough woman,” Mach’s son-in-law Brian Jackson said. “She’s very strong headed. I swear if she had a broken leg she’d still walk around and say everything is fine.”

Bigler has an extensive criminal history dating back to 1996. When he is in stable condition, police said, he will be booked into the Utah County Jail.

Contact Kristen DeSilva at 702-477-3895 or kdesilva@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @kristendesilva