Man Arrested after Spraying Person With Bear Spray

On January 13, 2026, at approximately 11:18 a.m., New York State Police at Ithaca arrested Arthur L. Stewart for the misdemeanor of Unlawful Possession of a Noxious Matter.

Troopers were dispatched to Winston Drive in the town of Ithaca for a report of a dispute. An investigation revealed that a person was sprayed with bear spray on a staircase between apartments. Troopers determined that the two people have had an ongoing dispute when Stewart intentionally sprayed the victim in the face. Troopers also determined that the bear spray that Stewart used is illegal to carry for self-defense. Per New York State regulations, canisters cannot be larger than .75 ounces and cannot contain more than .7% capsaicinoids. Stewart was arrested and turned over to the Tompkins County Jail for Centralized Arraignment.

Sources: https://troopers.ny.gov/news/man-arrested-after-spraying-person-bear-spray