A Rio Grande City man poured gas outside a drive-in. Then he told a worker he would burn it down, court records show. Deputies arrested Isaac Alexander Barrera, age 33, on a charge tied to that threat.

The case shows how fast trouble can start. It began with a fight over free food. It ended with a fire threat and an arrest. It also shows how Starr County deputies step in before anyone gets hurt.

Court papers say the trouble started on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. A Starr County Sheriff's deputy got a call about an unwanted man. The call came from Las Carnalas Drive In. The business sits on Highway 83 in Rio Grande City. The deputy drove there and talked to a worker.

The worker said Barrera was standing by the drive-through window. He held a metal stick in one hand. He demanded she unlock the doors. He also demanded food and water, court records show.

The worker said she usually gives Barrera free food. This time she said no. She said he looked agitated and upset.

Barrera then walked off toward home. His home is nearby, court records show. He came back with a red plastic gas jug. He carried it to the drive-through window.

The worker did not open the window. She wanted to keep her distance. Barrera kept getting more upset, she said.

The window stayed shut. Barrera stared at the worker. He told her he was going to set the place on fire, the complaint says. She watched him pour gas into a big steel trash can. He put the can close to the building.

The worker told the deputy she feared for her life. She said she was still inside the building at the time. She watched Barrera hide the gas jug. He hid it in a bush nearby.

She told deputies she believed Barrera wanted to burn the place down. She said she thought he could do it, court records show. She called the Starr County Sheriff's Office. She asked to press charges against him.

Deputy Oscar Munoz Jr. wrote up the case. He signed a criminal complaint on May 22, 2026. A Starr County justice of the peace signed off too. His name is Luis Garcia Jr. He signed a warrant for Barrera's arrest that same day.

Barrera faces one charge. It is called a terroristic threat causing fear of imminent serious bodily injury. That sounds heavy, but in plain terms it means threatening violence to scare someone badly right away. It is a Class B misdemeanor. That charge can mean up to 180 days in the Starr County Jail. It can also mean a fine of up to $2,000.

Deputies booked Barrera into the Starr County Jail on June 1, 2026, records show. His case now sits in Justice Court, Precinct 8, in Starr County. A judge there will handle what comes next.

Court records do not yet show a trial date for Barrera. In Texas, a Class B misdemeanor case like this usually starts with an arraignment. That is where a judge reads the charge out loud and the defendant enters a plea.

A worker who feared for her safety called for help. Court records show that call led to an arrest within days.

No court date for Barrera has been made public yet. El Tejano will update this story if more information comes out.