This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A Riverton man is accused of spraying a can of bear spray at a woman's face, causing chemical reactions that required medical care for her and her two children.
In charges filed Tuesday, police wrote that the man was in the victims' home in Sandy on Aug. 24, when he punched the woman in the face. The man then pulled out a can of bear spray, held the bottle "within a couple inches" of the victim's face and sprayed her, police wrote.
The woman's face was colored orange-red when police spoke with her, and her face, eyes, arms and chest were swollen from the chemical, investigators wrote. Her children also required medical care; investigators did not describe their ages or injuries.
Police found the man and his girlfriend in a nearby building; they smelled of bear spray, investigators wrote.
The man was charged with aggravated assault, possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person and tampering with a witness, all third-degree felonies, as well as two misdemeanor counts of child abuse.