A man was arrested Thursday, July 30 after allegedly pepper-spraying a family, including two children, during a confrontation in the Food 4 Less parking lot, according to the San Luis Obispo Police Department.
Police said officers responded to the parking lot around 11:45 a.m. after receiving reports of an assault involving pepper spray.
Investigators said a family of five adults and two children became involved in an argument with a man later identified as 38-year-old Bakersfield resident Travis Franco.
Police say during the dispute, one of the adult family members displayed pepper spray out of concern for the family's safety in an effort to get Franco to leave.
Police said Franco returned to his vehicle, retrieved his own pepper spray, and sprayed the adults and the two children before taking off.
The victims were treated at the scene by San Luis Obispo Fire Department personnel and SLO Ambulance.
Authorities issued a countywide alert, and Franco was later found in Avila Beach by the CHP and Port San Luis Harbor Patrol. San Luis Obispo police officers responded and took him into custody.
During the arrest, officers say they also found a handgun inside Franco's vehicle that police said was not stored in compliance with California law. The firearm was seized.
Franco was booked into 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 encouraged to contact Officer Bracy at 805-594-8087 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 805-549-7867.
