Man calls 911, pepper-sprays police who responded

MINNEAPOLIS -- A central Minnesota man is accused of pepper-spraying two police officers who responded to his 911 calls, according to CBS Minnesota.

The Morrison County Dispatch received multiple 911 calls on Tuesday, July 7 between 4 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. from Scott Patrick Garman, 46. Reportedly the Little Falls man yelled and swore at dispatchers about officers who had been at his house earlier in the evening.

The dispatcher requested that officers go back to Garman's house, according to the station.

When they arrived, he was reportedly sitting on the front steps holding a can. Police say they asked him to put down the can -- and that Garman responded by yelling "*expletive* you! You are on my property!"

Whereupon the officers reminded Garman that he was the one who had dialed 911.

According to CBS Minnesota, officers say they asked Garman to lower the can multiple times before they attempted to deploy a Taser on him. That's when Garman deployed his weapon, a can of pepper spray into the officer's eyes.

Police say one officer was temporarily blinded by the pepper spray and the other rushed toward Garman, warning him again to put down the can. The officer had to hit Garman with his baton to make that happen, reported the station. Garman was then handcuffed and taken into custody.

According to the station, police seized the pepper spray and identified it as bear repellent -- not to be used on humans.

Garman now faces two felony counts of fourth-degree assault on a police officer, and one gross misdemeanor count of obstructing legal process with force.

If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison per felony charge, and one year for the gross misdemeanor charge.