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Fort Bragg resident arrested for assault after dousing man with gasoline
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – A Fort Bragg man was arrested over the weekend after he allegedly kicked in a man's door and doused him with gasoline.
Ryan Patrick Coppola, 27, was arrested on felony charges of assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, criminal threats and vandalism, and misdemeanor domestic battery, according to Sgt. John Gregore of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Gregore said that at 12:45 a.m. Saturday, March 31, sheriff's deputies were dispatched to an address on Deer Park Drive in Lower Lake on the report a male who had kicked in the front door to the residence and poured gasoline on the occupants.
When deputies arrived, the victim said he had been with some friends earlier in the night at Maynard’s Sports Bar in Lower Lake, Gregore said.
While the deputies were there, they saw Coppola, who they knew. Coppola recently had broken up with his girlfriend, who was homeless and temporarily staying at the residence in Lower Lake, Gregore said.
The man told deputies that Coppola got into a physical altercation at the bar, but neither he nor his friends were involved, according to Gregore.
After leaving Maynard’s, the victim and some friends went to his house and were sleeping in a front room of the home, Gregore said. The victim woke up to Coppola kicking in his front door and entering the residence carrying a gas can.
Coppola then allegedly started pouring gasoline on the male victim and the interior of the residence, Gregore reported. According to witnesses, Coppola said something about burning the victim.
Gregore said Coppola then noticed his ex-girlfriend lying on a couch in the home. Coppola picked her up off the couch and threw her to the floor.
The male victim said he ran outside his house and Coppola pursued him into the street. Coppola continued to chase him until a neighbor came outside to investigate the commotion. Coppola then left in an unknown direction, according to Gregore.
Gregore said deputies could smell the strong odor of gasoline coming from the victim’s clothing and the inside of his residence. Deputies were unable to locate Coppola at the scene.
Several hours later, deputies located Coppola and arrested him. Gregore said Coppola was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked. Bail was set at $25,000.
Coppola, whose arrest sheet lists his profession as jeweler, later posted bail and was released, according to jail records.