Charges: Felon Sprays Woman With Bear Mace In Anoka

ANOKA, Minn. (WCCO) -- A 26-year-old convicted felon has been accused of spraying a woman with bear mace in Anoka.

Matthew Douglas Ingram, of no permanent address, faces one felony count of unlawful possession of tear gas compound by a felon, and a misdemeanor count of fifth-degree assault.

According to the criminal complaint, on Nov. 14 at 10:03 p.m., a police officer was on patrol near the PDQ gas station, located at 703 East River Road, when he was flagged down by a PDQ employee. The employee told the officer that a customer had been sprayed with mace by another customer.

The officer then spoke with the victim, who said she had just entered her car after filling up on gas, opened her window and lit a cigarette when a man approached. She said she heard an aerosol can discharging, noticed that a yellow substance had been sprayed and immediately knew it was mace. The man then got into another car with two other people.

The victim said she attempted to confront the people inside the car, but the driver drove away before she could. She was able to record the license plate, however: 865-CUX.

The officer observed the victim's car and could see a yellow substance on the front windshield and driver's side window. When he got closer to the car, the officer's eyes began watering and believed the substance was a chemical irritant of some kind.

Later, an investigation revealed that the license was registered to the blue two-door 2002 Pontiac Sunfire owned by one of the occupants, who said she was at the PDQ store with another woman and the accused, Ingram. She said Igram was upset and "maced" a woman who was at another gas pump. The other woman was also contacted and told police that Igram "maced" a woman with bear mace.

Ingram has been convicted of several crimes of violence and is prohibited from possessing weapons such as bear mace, pistols, etc.

Ingram's current whereabouts are unknown.