Valrico man accused of throwing gas on girlfriend's son, threatening to ignite him

VALRICO — A 37-year-old man was jailed late Sunday, accused of throwing gasoline on his girlfriend's son and threatening to set him on fire, according to Hills­borough sheriff's deputies.

At his first appearance Monday, Christopher A. Koberstine, formerly of 717 Sandridge Drive, was granted $10,000 bail on a felony aggravated assault charge. An arrest affidavit states he threw the gasoline on the victim, whose age was not given, during an argument about 11:30 p.m.

Prosecutors reminded Judge Gregory Holder about recent high-profile cases of victims being doused with flammable fluid and lit on fire, such as last week's incident involving an Apollo Beach couple. Koberstine's defense attorney asked the judge not to equate the other cases with Koberstine's.

Koberstine, whose jail record lists his job as a Bank of America loan processor, was ordered to have no contact with the victim.

Koberstine's attorney told Holder that Koberstine had recently signed a new lease at 9802 N 11th St., Unit B, and would no longer be living with his longtime girlfriend and her son.