Man poured gas on Fort Worth store clerk, police say

A 45-year-old man who became enraged after he had trouble pumping gas into a gas can assaulted and poured gas on the store clerk, then threatened to set him ablaze, police say.

The incident occurred about 5:20 p.m. Thursday at the Famous Food Store at 2601 Hemphill St.

The clerk told police that the man, identified in a police report as Hector Hernandez-Flores, came into the store and paid for $5 worth of gas. He then went back outside but could not get the pump to work.

“The victim came outside and explained how to pump gas into the gas can, and Hernandez-Flores became angry,” Cpl. Tracey Knight, a police spokeswoman, said in an email.

The clerk told police that Hernandez-Flores threw the gas can at the front of the store. The clerk said he was trying to go back inside when Hernandez-Flores grabbed the gas can and hit him with it several times.

“Hernandez-Flores then poured liquid gasoline onto the victim’s arms and chest and said that he would light the victim on fire,” Knight said.

When officers arrived, they found the clerk behind the counter and Hernandez-Flores on the other side, still engaged in the altercation, Knight said.

Hernandez-Flores was arrested and faces a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was in the Mansfield Jail, with bail set at $25,000, jail records show.

This story was originally published July 17, 2015 at 11:27 AM with the headline "Man poured gas on Fort Worth store clerk, police say."