A 24-year-old woman from Los Angeles was arrested Tuesday after allegedly spraying bear spray into a store’s HVAC system and then leading police on a high-speed chase that ended north of Delano, according to Bakersfield police.
The incident began around 11:32 a.m. when officers responded to reports of a chemical assault at a business on the 800 block of Union Avenue.
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Police say Moenay Humphries, 24, had gotten into a verbal dispute with store employees. During the altercation, she reportedly discharged a large canister of bear spray into the store’s HVAC system, affecting several employees and customers and contaminating the premises.
Officers soon located Humphries in a nearby vehicle, but she fled, triggering a high-speed pursuit. The chase headed along Highway 58 and continued north on Highway 99, with speeds topping 100 miles per hour.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) took over the pursuit, which ended when Humphries crashed her vehicle in a single-car, non-injury collision near Avenue 24, just north of Delano.
Humphries was taken into custody at the scene without further incident. She is now facing several charges, including:
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Felony assault
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Burglary
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Felon in possession of oleoresin capsicum spray
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Multiple outstanding warrants
The investigation remains active. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Bakersfield Police Department at (661) 327-7111.
