Bend, Oregon – A Bend man was arrested Friday morning after a chaotic burglary at the Space Age Fuel gas station on Grandview Drive. Police say the suspect, Steven Earl Ramsey, 55, threw a Molotov cocktail at a sheriff’s deputy, fought a K-9, and set himself on fire.

Surveillance video captured the break-in around 4:15 a.m. The suspect, wearing a hoodie and shorts, shattered the front door with a rock, damaged products, and doused the store with flammable liquids, attempting to set it ablaze.

Store owner Danny Johal watched the incident unfold on cameras. “He broke in with a rock, damaged products, and used fuel additive to try and light the store on fire,” Johal said. “Gas stations are flammable. They’re not to be messed with.”

Deputies from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office arrived first, finding the front doors shattered. The suspect lit a Molotov cocktail and threw it at a deputy, igniting a rug. The bottle hit an ATM, and the lit cloth fell, setting the rug next to him on fire.

Deschutes County K-9 Vinnie engaged the suspect, clamping onto his arm. During the struggle, the suspect’s foot caught fire from the burning rug. He rolled to extinguish it before surrendering. Vinnie sustained minor injuries.

Ramsey was treated at St. Charles hospital and booked into Deschutes County Jail on charges including second-degree burglary, first-degree disorderly conduct, and reckless burning. Damage to the store is estimated at $11,000 to $15,000.

Bend Fire ensured no further fire threat remained. The gas station, already struggling due to the Highway 97 bypass project, faces a significant setback.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download