Pizza delivery driver says he was assaulted with bear spray in robbery attempt



CENTRALIA, Wash. (AP) — A pizza delivery driver says he was spritzed in the face with bear spray in what was believed to have been an unsuccessful robbery attempt, the Lewis County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday.

Sheriff's Chief Deputy Stacy Brown says the 44-year-old Sahara Pizza driver was trying to deliver a pizza Tuesday in Centralia, and was approaching the order address when a man stepped into the road.

The driver slowed to talk to the man and check the delivery address, only to hear the stranger say, "Sorry, I have to do this" and start spraying the driver in the face with bear spray.

Brown says the pizza driver reports he knocked the can out of the man's hand and the man ran off.

The driver began chasing the attacker with his vehicle, then saw him jump into an older blue vehicle and drive off, heading the wrong way on a one-way street.

Brown says the pizza driver didn't need medical treatment.