Springdale police say a fight between two men last week at Dollar General led to one dispatching pepper spray at the other, causing the store to be evacuated.
On Thursday, police charged William Stephen Korbe, 59, of Cheswick and Donald William Brownlee, 64, of Springdale with simple assault and disorderly conduct following an argument and scuffle at the Springdale store.
The incident occurred Oct. 6.
Police wrote in court papers that officers were called to the Dollar General at 11:16 a.m. Oct. 6 for a report of an unknown substance sprayed in the store, which later was identified as pepper spray.
Brownlee, a store employee, and Korbe were outside the store arguing when an officer arrived, police said. Brownlee’s eyes were closed after being pepper-sprayed by Korbe, police said.
Korbe told police he was shopping in the store when he “exchanged words” with Brownlee. Korbe said Brownlee came at him with a pocketknife, which caused him to deploy the pepper spray, the criminal complaint said.
But when police asked Brownlee what happened, Brownlee said he exchanged words with Korbe while working in the store and that Korbe got in his face and started to hit him. Brownlee told police he thought Korbe was going for a pocketknife, so he got out his box cutter. Then, Korbe pepper-sprayed Brownlee.
Police seized a pocketknife and pepper spray from Korbe, according to the complaint.
Police wrote in the complaint that when they reviewed surveillance footage, Brownlee was seen getting close to Korbe’s face, and Korbe then started to strike Brownlee. Everything else was obstructed from view, police said.
The fire department cleared the store of the pepper spray.
Both men face a preliminary hearing and arraignment Nov. 20 before District Judge David Sosovicka.
