MARION – A man was recently arrested after threatening to blow up a fuel tanker at a Marion gas station.

The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office says around 10:25 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 13, deputies saw a man standing in the roadway near Illinois 13 and Carbon Street in Marion.

After approaching the suspect, deputies recognized the suspect as Ray Dell Williams Jr., a person who has previously stood in the roadway obstructing the flow of traffic.

While speaking to deputies, Williams stated he was loitering around the Circle K gas station. A Circle K fuel tanker driver shouted across the parking lot that Williams had been harassing him as he was fueling the tanks.

During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that Williams had twice previously been trespassed from Circle K.

Deputies spoke with the fuel tanker driver who advised that Williams had approached the area he was working to fill the fuel tanks for the business.

The driver explained that his job was an extreme hazardous due to the gas vapors emitted while filling the tanks and that he had set orange traffic cones out to mark a safe distance. The driver further stated that Williams approached him, moving within the perimeter of the cones, with a lit cigarette and began to verbally accost him.

The driver told Williams to get away from him with the cigarette or it could cause the gas tanks to ignite. Williams continued to approach with the lit cigarette and continued yelling at the driver. The driver stated that Williams had made the comment he would “blow all us up.”

Williams was arrested. A search of his person incident to arrest located a white, crystalline substance which later field tested positive for methamphetamine.

Williams was issued citations for Criminal Trespass, Disorderly Conduct, and Possession of Methamphetamine.