Kids Pepper-Sprayed By Cyclist In Ashburn: Police

ASHBURN, VA — A cyclist pepper-sprayed a group of middle-school aged children around 4 p.m. Thursday while riding past them in the 44200 block of Gloucester Parkway, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. Two girls were hospitalized. Marcos A. Catalan, 47, of Herndon, later was located and charged with two counts of malicious injury by use of caustic substance and one count of attempted malicious injury by caustic substance. He's being held without bond.

When police arrived at the scene, they were told the kids were in the area of the Washington and Old Dominion Trail when a cyclist approached and appeared to be holding a can in his hand. As he rode past, he sprayed what the kids believed to be pepper in their direction. (For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts. Also, like us on Facebook, and if you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Police found the cyclist in the area of the Washington and Old Dominion Trail and Ruritan Circle. Two girls were taken to a local hospital for treatment and are expected to fully recover.

Image via Loudoun County Sheriff's Office