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A patron who set a bouncer ablaze after being kicked out of a Florida bar is being hunted by police.

Staff at Neely’s Grog House in Port St. Lucie forced a customer to leave after he attempted to pay his tab by gambling, officials said Monday. The man initially offered to pay with a personal check but when bar workers refused to accept it, he tried to earn money by playing pool before being ejected.

Port St. Lucie Police allege that Ivan Louis Rodriguez, 45, of Port St. Lucie, returned later Sunday with a cup of gasoline that he threw on the bouncer. A scuffle ensued between the two men in the parking lot and Rodriguez ignited a lighter as they were entangled.

The bouncer’s clothes caught fire and he sustained severe burns on his arms, face, and chest. He was airlifted to a hospital in Miami, police said. Police are actively searching for Rodriguez on an aggravated battery charge.

Port St. Lucie Police have identified Ivan Louis Rodriguez, 45, as the suspect in the aggravated battery case. Port St. Lucie Police

- Shamar Walters