WEST PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — A Conneaut, Ohio man is behind bars on a hefty bond after allegedly robbing a West Portsmouth gas station, assaulting three people—including two teenagers who tried to intervene—and later driving erratically through the county while heavily under the influence.
Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman announced the arrest of 33-year-old Troy Roop Jr. following a chaotic series of events that began in the early morning hours of Tuesday, May 26.
Early Morning Assault at Super Quick
According to sheriff’s office records, dispatchers received a 911 call at 12:57 a.m. regarding an active disturbance at the Super Quick convenience store, located at 1051 Galena Pike in West Portsmouth.
A store clerk reported that a male subject, later identified as Roop, pulled up to the pumps and attempted to dispense roughly $30 worth of gasoline without paying first. When the clerk walked outside to inform him that prepayment was mandatory, Roop reportedly began acting erratically, declared that he was taking the fuel for free, and physically attacked the clerk.
Two juvenile males who witnessed the unprovoked attack stepped in to protect the clerk, but Roop allegedly assaulted them as well. He fled the parking lot in his vehicle just before sheriff’s deputies arrived on the scene. A responding deputy took the initial robbery report and immediately passed the file to the detective division.
Suspicious Driver Call Leads to Catch
The search for the suspect hit a breakthrough roughly seven hours later. At 8:15 a.m., the Sheriff’s Office received a separate complaint about a man driving suspiciously around the Otway area who appeared to be heavily under the influence of narcotics.
Deputies quickly noted that the caller’s description of the vehicle perfectly matched the getaway car from the Super Quick robbery. Units rushed to the area, successfully intercepted the vehicle, and took Roop into custody without further incident.
Charges and Bond
Roop, whose last known address is listed as 443 Sandusky St. in Conneaut—located in the far northeast corner of Ohio—was transported to the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office for formal questioning.
He was subsequently booked into the Scioto County Jail on the following charges:
- Robbery (Second-degree felony; 1 count)
- Assault (First-degree misdemeanor; 3 counts)
Roop is currently being held on a $78,000 bond. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance in Portsmouth Municipal Court.
Sheriff Thoroughman emphasized that the investigation remains active. Anyone who may have additional information regarding Roop or the incident is strongly encouraged to contact Detective Sergeant Jodi Conkel at 740-351-1091.
