Lighter fluid sprayed on California supermarket employee during dispute

A person who sprayed a Moreno Valley supermarket employee with what was believed to be lighter fluid before fleeing was arrested Thursday, Aug. 18, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said.

There was an unspecified dispute between the employee and the attacker, said Sgt. Edward Soto, a Sheriff’s Department spokesman. At 11:37 a.m., the suspect was attempting to leave the store with a shopping cart full of groceries without paying when he was confronted by store employees, the Sheriff’s Department said.

The suspect, who was identified as Raul Bautista, 31, then doused the lighter fluid on the employee, authorities said. Bautista then fled on foot into a neighborhood.

Deputies called in a bloodhound in an attempt to find the suspect. Bautista was found and taken into custody without incident, the Sheriff’s Department said.

“Nobody was set on fire,” Soto said.

The approximate address — the 24400 block of Alessandro Boulevard — is the location of Food4Less. A message was left for a company spokesperson seeking comment.

No additional details were immediately available.