Taser ignites plastic lighter in man’s pants

VANCOUVER, Wash. – A Taser dart caused a man’s cigarette lighter to explode in his pocket, briefly setting his pants on fire, as police arrested him outside a convenience store.

A Vancouver police officer swatted out the small fire then handcuffed the man while other officers discovered a homemade bomb, drugs and stolen property in his car.

Police evacuated the store, shut off its gasoline pumps and blocked streets until a bomb squad could remove the explosive device.

James Christopher Elioff, 43, of Hazel Dell, was being held without bail in the Clark County Jail, police said. He was arrested Wednesday afternoon on a warrant for a parole violation.

Acting on a tip, officers confronted Elioff outside the store and yelled for him to get on the ground. When Elioff started to run, two detectives fired their Tasers, police said.

“I noticed flames coming from Elioff’s right hip area (and) observed a blue/yellow flame burning as he fell to the ground,” Detective Bryan Acee said in his report. “I later discovered Elioff had a plastic cigarette lighter in his right pants pocket that had been penetrated by the Taser dart.”