The owner of a gasoline station in eastern Kentucky said he has turned off his pumps and won't sell fuel until prices go down.

Bubby Combs owns a BP station in Perry County.

He is also a county magistrate.

Combs said the high price of fuel hurts his customers, so he has stopped selling it.

He told The Associated Press on May 22 that he turned off his pumps about 10 days earlier but continues to operate his convenience store and game room.

He said some people who bought from him were doing it out of friendship and they can get slightly better prices at discounters.

Combs said he quit selling gasoline when the retail price hit $3.75 per gallon. It averaged about $3.90 per gallon in the region on May 21.

Combs said if the retail price stabilizes at between $3.50 and $4.00 per gallon, he would consider selling gas again.