A man suspected of starting a fire at an Anaheim Chevron gas station early on Monday morning, at about 3:40 a.m., was arrested after he ended up chasing the gas station store clerk while his shirt was on fire.
The Anaheim police received a call about someone trying to set the gas pumps on fire at the Chevron station that is located at 2530 East la Palma Ave.
The store clerk, Tuan Nguyen, noted that the suspect had entered the store and started to smoke cigarettes that were behind the counter, using his burning shirt to light the cigarettes.
Nguyen told reporters that the suspect was chasing him around with his shirt on fire.
Nguyen armed himself with a crowbar and confronted the suspect again, hoping to get him out of the store but opted to leave after a brief struggle with the suspect.
That is when the store caught on fire. The police officers however arrived as Nguyen exited the store and saw the suspect setting the interior of the gas station on fire.
The police officers used a Taser and a non-lethal shotgun round to subdue the suspect and pull him out of the burning gas station.
Firefighters were able to stop the flames, knocking down the blaze within 30 minutes and before the fire reached the gas pumps.
The store was heavily damaged, and the clerk suffered minor smoke inhalation, but he is expected to recover.
The suspect suffered burns and was taken to a local hospital to be treated.
The suspect will be charged with arson and assault with a deadly weapon after treatment.
No word yet as to whether or not the suspect was intoxicated or on drugs at the time.
