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Xanax Dispute Ignites Car Fire Mid-Road Trip
19 Jun
Summary
- Car destroyed by fire after dispute over prescription Xanax.
- Two people were sleeping inside the vehicle when it caught fire.
- Suspect faces attempted murder and arson charges.
On June 16, 2026, a road trip en route to Las Vegas from San Diego ended in disaster at a Hesperia, California truck stop. Investigators allege that Nicole Incero Najlis, 30, set fire to a Honda Element, causing an estimated $12,000 in losses.
The vehicle, owned by James Bahr, a professional pyrotechnician, was engulfed in flames shortly after midnight. Two individuals sleeping inside managed to escape unharmed. Najlis has been arrested and faces attempted murder and arson charges, with her bail set to ineligible.
Bahr recounted that the incident escalated from an argument over his prescription Xanax. He stated Najlis became physically aggressive, punching him while he was driving, which led him to pull over. When Najlis refused to leave the vehicle, Bahr began removing her belongings, at which point he detected the smell of fuel before the car was ignited.
