Police arrest Bakersfield man after pepper spray incident in parking lot
Five adults and two juveniles received treatment at the scene
– A Bakersfield man was arrested Thursday after police said he pepper sprayed five adults and two juveniles during a confrontation in the parking lot of Food 4 Less in San Luis Obispo.
The incident occurred at about 11:45 a.m. Thursday in the 3900 block of South Higuera Street. According to the San Luis Obispo Police Department, a family of five adults and two juveniles became involved in an argument with an adult male later identified as Travis Franco, 38, of Bakersfield.
Police said one of the adult victims feared for the family’s safety and displayed pepper spray to compel Franco to leave them alone. Franco retreated to his vehicle, then returned with his own pepper spray and sprayed the adults and the children before fleeing the scene, according to police.
San Luis Obispo Fire Department personnel and San Luis Obispo Ambulance treated the victims at the scene.
Police issued a countywide alert, and the California Highway Patrol and Port San Luis Harbor Patrol later located Franco in Avila Beach. Officers with the San Luis Obispo Police Department responded and took him into custody.
Police said officers found a handgun in Franco’s vehicle when they arrested him. The handgun was not stored in compliance with California law and was seized, according to police.
Franco was booked into the San Luis Obispo County Jail on suspicion of felony child abuse, unlawful use of pepper spray, and improper storage of a firearm in a vehicle.
Anyone with additional information about the incident is asked to contact Officer Bracy at (805) 594-8087 or Crime Stoppers at (805) 549-7867.
