Crime & Safety

Pepper Spray Used During Fight Over Car Repairs: Police

Police say two men unleashed pepper spray on two people after being told they couldn't test drive a car without paying a repair bill.

STOUGHTON, MA — A fight outside an auto shop in Stoughton resulted in three people getting hit with pepper spray or feeling the effects of the chemical, police said.

Dion Augustin, 21, of Holbrook and Isiah King, 19, of Brockton, both face charges related to the incident and were arraigned Friday in Stoughton District Court. Augustin faces three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, witness intimidation, and possession of a stun gun and King was charged with interfering with a police officer and disturbing the peace. Both pleaded not guilty and were ordered held on $2,500 cash bail.

Augustin has posted the bail while King has not, according to Stoughton District Court.

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Officers were called to the Meineke on Washington Street for a report of a disturbance. Officer Joseph DeSouza in his report described a scene of chaos, lots of yelling, and two people with red eyes and trouble breathing. It was determined that the two were sprayed with pepper spray and Stoughton Fire was called to assist.

When police asked King what happened, he told police that he was picking up his car and found it to be damaged. The report described King as excited and flailing his arms. DeSouza wrote that he had to handcuff King until he could figure out what was going on.

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Witnesses told police that King and Augustin wanted to test drive the vehicle before paying. A store employee said they could do that only if they were accompanied by someone who worked at Meineke. This allegedly upset Augustin and an argument ensued.

When the employee said he was going to call the police, Augustin allegedly used pepper spray on the worker and knocked a phone away. A second employee tried to call police but King allegedly knocked the phone away too.

A third person felt the effects of the spray as well. The two who were sprayed were taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton.

Police say they found a stun gun belonging to Augustin.

Augustin and King are due back in court March 19.


Image: File Photo

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