Deputies: Man threatens to set St. Augustine Beach house on fire

Robert Barkley poured gasoline inside home, deputies say

St. Johns County Sheriff's Office booking photo of Robert Barkley Jr.

ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. – A man was arrested Sunday after deputies said he poured gasoline inside a St. Augustine Beach home where he was living with his two roommates in an effort to get them to move out, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office. 

Robert Barkley Jr., 58, is charged with aggravated assault.

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The Sheriff's Office said that on Sunday night, Barkley was fighting with another man who lived at the home on Biscayne Avenue and Barkley called deputies, asking them to force the other man to leave his home.

But deputies told Barkley that he would have to evict the man. According to the arrest report, deputies said Barkley was "extremely intoxicated."

Shortly after that, deputies were called back to the home.

When they arrived, the other man told deputies that Barkley had poured gasoline inside the home. 

A woman who also lives at the home told deputies that Barkley said, "I'm going to burn this down with you m********** in it," according to the arrest report. 

Deputies said Barkley told them he sprayed a mixture of water and gasoline to make the two leave his home. Barkley told deputies that he never threatened either of the roommates.

Barkley was booked into the St. Johns County Jail, where he was ordered held on $5,000 bond. 


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