This guy messed up his car.  But luckily, you don't need a car in jail . . .

34-year-old Jeremy Thomas got into an argument with his stepfather and pointed a GUN at him on Saturday inCrooked River Ranch, Oregon.  (About 150 miles southeast of Portland.)  He also fired at least one shot, but didn't hit anyone.

So the stepfather called the cops.  And Jeremy and his girlfriend left with their three-year-old daughter before police got there.

But then the cops put out a description of his vehicle . . . a 2017 Chevy Cruze.  And they got a tip from a tow truck driver a few hours later.

It turned out Jeremy was low on gas.  So he broke into a barn . . . found a gas can . . . stole some of the fuel . . . and got back on the road.

But what he didn't realize was the fuel he stole was DIESEL.  So shortly after he started driving, his engine seized up.

Cops showed up and arrested him.  He's facing charges for menacing, pointing a firearm at another person, unlawful use of a weapon, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Plus, they tacked on two burglary and theft charges for the diesel fuel he stole. 

(Bend Bulletin / KOMO)  (Here's his mugshot.  By the way, it's basically impossible to accidentally do this at a gas station, because the nozzles won't fit in your tank.)