Homeless Man Threatened To Burn Down Gas Station With A Flamethrower

As the age-old saying goes – never play with fire. However, it seems one man didn’t quite get the memo. Farmington police recently arrested a homeless man on suspicion of threatening to burn down a gas station with a flamethrower.

According to the jail’s website, the suspect, identified to be 28-year-old Tito Roberson, was detained at San Juan County Adult Detention Center on Wednesday.

According to the Farmington Police Department’s case report obtained by The Durango Herald, police officers quickly responded to a call at 2:14 p.m. Feb. 18 to the Conoco at 1000 W. Main St. The residents there stated that Roberson was throwing rocks at the building and threatening to burn down the gas station.

Upon arriving at the scene, police officers interviewed the gas station attendant, who stated that Roberson had been asking customers for money. After the attendant told the suspect to leave, he returned with a propane torch. He backed the attendant into the gas station and lit the torch while the attendant screamed at him to stop.

“Tito advanced with the torch still lit and was yelling at her saying, ‘I could burn you right now,’ and then threatening to burn down the whole store,”

When another store clerk screamed at Roberson to stop, he turned towards her and grabbed eight lighters from a case and fled from the store. The report stated that Roberson tried to get away from the police when they confronted him on the south side of Main Street.

It resulted in a pursuit on foot, where the suspect was said to have thrown an object from his pocket. Roberson then began to slow down until one officer pointed his taser at him, ordering Roberson to get down. Roberson complied with the officer’s order and was taken into custody without further incident.

Roberson is currently facing charges of suspicion of aggravated assault; resisting, evading or obstructing an officer; petty larceny shoplifting; concealed identity; and two warrants.