Great Falls man charged with using bear spray on children

(GREAT FALLS)- A Great Falls man is facing multiple charges after police say he sprayed a group people, including some children, with bear spray following an accident.

KRTV reports the incident happened after the man crashed on 5th Street North and 6th Avenue, with police saying Jacob McCoy was speeding and driving erratically. Police say McCoy crashed, nearly hitting a child, with a bystander coming to the crashed car and punching him through a window. 

McCoy said he felt threatened after getting out of his car, so he sprayed the bystanders with pepper spray, including three kids, one as young as 7.

One person was hospitalized because the spray irritated a previous injury. 

McCoy was charged with four counts of assault and taken into custody.