A routine DUI stop turned into a violent exchange recently when police in Bonita, Florida, had to use pepper spray. Authorities for the Lee County Sheriff's office were tipped off to a car driving erratically, but the situation soon escalated after they pulled over the mini van, The News-Press reports.The incident began when deputy Robert Hamer pulled over the vehicle, which was weaving into the shoulder and the center lane. By the time the driver finally pulled over it had been two miles, and when Hamer asked for her license and registration, she struggled to find them. After she failed a sobriety test, Hamer became unruly when she was placed in the back of the police cruiser.
According to the news source, she began cursing and spitting at Hamer once she was put in the back of the cruiser. He informed her that if she continued, he would have to use pepper spray. She did not stop, and he had to use the device to subdue her.
While pepper spray is used by police to control unruly criminals, it can also be used by the public to boost personal safety. When sprayed into the face of a potential attacker, it can make it difficult for them to see and breathe, allowing for a victim to make an escape.
