Milton man allegedly pepper sprays ECSO deputy during Walmart parking lot chase

An off-duty Escambia County Sheriff's deputy arrested a 38-year-old Milton man Monday after the man allegedly attempted to return stolen Walmart merchandise and pepper sprayed a law enforcement officer.

Deputies booked Stephen Blaine into Escambia County Jail for dealing in stolen property, two counts of larceny, resisting an officer with violence and battery on a law enforcement officer.

"If you pepper spray a deputy while resisting arrest, you should expect us to use force to protect ourselves and make the arrest, because we certainly will," Sheriff Chip Simmons said in a statement regarding the incident. The arresting deputy's body camera footage was released in an ECSO Facebook post.

Blaine allegedly attempted to make a fraudulent return to the Walmart on Mobile Highway. He then began to exit the store when he was confronted by loss prevention staff, according to an ECSO Facebook post.

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"Blaine tried to pepper spray them and took off through the parking lot," the post said.

The deputy was off-duty working security at the Walmart when the incident occurred, and he began chasing Blaine through the parking lot. During the chase, the ECSO says Blaine pepper sprayed the deputy before being tackled.

Law enforcement took Blaine in for medical treatment before booking him into jail.

He is currently held in Escambia County Jail on $68,500 bond.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Florida man allegedly pepper sprays deputy during Walmart chase