Steve Selfridge

Butler police aren't sure what fueled a Butler man accused of deliberately spraying gasoline from the nozzle of a pump on a customer at a city gas station.

A short time later, according to police, 42-year-old Steve M. Selfridge allegedly clashed with officers, hitting one of them Friday evening. At least three Tasers were deployed before officers arrested him, police said.

Patrolman Michael Sulerud suffered minor injuries in the incident, but will not miss any time from work, according to authorities.

Selfridge was arraigned on two felony counts of aggravated assault, misdemeanor charges of reckless endangerment and resisting arrest and a summary charge of criminal mischief. He is in the Butler County Prison on $50,000 bond.

Police were called shortly after 5:40 p.m. to the Planet Mart Gas Station on Kittanning Street, where they said a 65-year-old Fenelton man reported being the victim of a strange assault.

He told police that he was getting his tank filled. The gas pump nozzle was in the vehicle, he recounted, and he was seated in the vehicle.

Selfridge, who was barefoot and wearing a tank top and shorts, allegedly came by and took the pump nozzle out, which prompted the customer to get out of his vehicle, telling the suspect to stop.

“(The defendant) pointed the nozzle at (the victim) and sprayed him with gas,” according to charging documents. The suspect also allegedly sprayed gas on the vehicle.

Police don't know what motivated Selfridge, but noted there was no prior altercation with the victim.

Less than 30 minutes before the incident, police suspect the defendant stole a lighter and broke soda pop bottles at a convenience store on West Jefferson Street. Charges in that incident are pending, police said.

Officers found Selfridge still on Kittanning Street moments after the alleged gas station assault. Police deployed a Taser, which missed its mark, after the suspect refused officers' commands to get on the ground.

He “lunged” at an officer, documents said. In turn, Sulerud deployed his Taser, which had no effect on the suspect, who swung at and hit the officer in the right bicep.

Another Taser was deployed, which dropped the defendant to the ground, Still, however, he allegedly struggled with officers. Police then stunned him directly with the Taser before finally placing him in handcuffs. Known as “drive-stun mode,” this is the act of pressing the Taser against a person's skin and is used for pain compliance because there is less force deployed from the probes.