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A former DoorDash driver spoke out after he was accused of pepper-spraying food he was delivering, saying he was just trying to kill a spider he saw inside a bag.
The driver identified as Courtney N. Stevensonwas arrested by the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office in Paducah, Kentucky, on Friday, December 12, and charged with aggravated battery and consumer product fraud, according to a statement released by the Vanderburgh Sheriff’s Office.
The incident occurred in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, on December 6. Resident Mark Cardin told officials that his wife began to choke and gasp when she started eating food that Stevenson had brought, according to NBC News. The couple checked the food bag before looking at their security footage, which allegedly captured Stevenson pepper spraying the outside of their Arby’s delivery bags.
Authorities subpoenaed DoorDash records and were able to identify Stevenson as the driver.
When he spoke to authorities on the phone, Stevenson said he was visiting his father in Evansville, Indiana, when he took the Doordash shift. He then admitted that he used pepper spray, although he said he only used it to try to kill a spider he saw near the food. According to a police statement, Stevenson said he was “scared” of spiders.
However, the Vanderburgh Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that it was 35 degrees the night of the incident and pointed out that the spiders that live in the area “are inactive and will not be able to crawl in open areas.
After being linked to the crime, Stevenson refused to appear in person for a second interview. His refusal led detectives to issue a warrant for his arrest and he was charged with “two counts of Battery Causing Moderate Injury as a Level 6 Felony and two counts of Consumer Product Violation as a Level 5 Felony,” in his release.
Stevenson, who currently lives in Kentucky, will be held without bond until he is returned to Indiana. His warrant bond is set at $3,500.
Before Stevenson was arrested, DoorDash said in a statement to NBC News that the company had revoked his access to the platform and insisted it was cooperating with law enforcement.
“We have zero tolerance for this type of misconduct,” the statement added.
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Cardin also opened up about the experience when he spoke to NBC News, saying that he first tried to contact DoorDasher. However, he said he could not contact her and said that he ended up blocking her. Cardin then called the police and DoorDash to complain about the incident. Additionally, he shared that his wife’s health improved following a 10-minute cough.
Pepper spray causes no long-term health effects, and is legal in all 50 states for self-defense. You need to be at least 18 years old to buy pepper spray in Indiana, while those who do can also have a criminal conviction on their record. Additionally, Indiana only allows pepper spray to be carried in 2 ounce containers.
