The account, @thatwasepic, posted a photo in front of the Arco gas station on 16th Street on Sunday afternoon.
PHOENIX — A man on social media posted that he put $10,000 in credit on pumps at a Valley gas station. Since he made the post, so many people came to the pumps that it caused a gridlock in the area, Phoenix police said.
The Instagram account belongs to Juan Gonzalez at the handle @thatwasepic. The post shows Gonzalez standing in front of the ARCO gas station 16th Street and Thomas Road in Phoenix.
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The post says he just put $10,000 in credit on the pumps and instructs people to only fill their cars, not gas tanks, and to leave the pump on the ground for the next person so “it doesn’t reset.”
On his Instagram story, viewers can see him paying the attendant at the gas station, a video detailing what you need to do to get the gas and the address, as well as the lines of cars and the police officers who showed up at the gas station.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Juan González, ‘Influencer’ de Instagram provocó un embotellamiento en una gasolinera de Phoenix
Phoenix police put out a post on X shortly after asking drivers to avoid the area as they try to clear the roadway. Gonzalez posted on his Instagram story that the event got shut down because the huge line of cars trying to get into the gas station caused a traffic jam.
“We did help out as many people as we could before they got here,” Gonzalez said in his video. “But it’s getting too dangerous, the streets are backed up, and they’re telling me that ambulances and stuff can’t get through, so.”
Phoenix police did not tell 12News the event was shut down but rather said they “worked with the event coordinator” and were able to clear the roadway.
According to a post from Friday, Gonzalez also dropped off $10,000 as a credit at Juanderful Tacos on Camelback Road in Phoenix.