LITCHFIELD, Conn. (AP) Torrington police have begun a criminal investigation into the alleged theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars from lottery ticket sales and other transactions at a gas station.

Documents in Litchfield Superior Court say an audit determined that $375,284 in lottery ticket sales and $96,504 in cash payouts from the register are missing.

Patrick Wall, the lawyer for gas station owner Sohan Johnson and his business, says former employee Bruce Gay was notified of pending civil action. Two hours later, Wall crashed his truck and he was severely burned.

He told the Republican-American (http://bit.ly/1F7Cp5b ) Thursday he doesn't know anything about the missing money.

A Superior Court judge has accepted an agreement for half of the proceeds from the sale of Gay's home to be forfeited if he loses a civil judgment.