Five-year-old girl among those injured in reported bear spray attack in Barriere

BARRIERE, B.C. — A 71-year-old man from Barriere was arrested and charged with three counts of assault with a weapon after reportedly bear spraying a family, including a five-year-old girl.

In a news release issued Tuesday (May 9), Barriere RCMP say they were called near Summer Road and Dejay Road at around 9 a.m. on March 30 for a reported assault.

Police say a family was driving away from their home at the Deejay Trailer Park when a verbal altercation took place between them and another resident. While the family continued to exit the park, police say the man followed them in his vehicle to Summer Road.

RCMP say the man exited his vehicle and deployed bear spray into the neighbour’s car while the couple’s five-year-old daughter was inside. Despite pleas to stop due to the girl being in the vehicle, police say the man continued to spray.