Vancouver couple doused with bear spray in Nanaimo after dragon boat festival: RCMP

A woman tries out a can of inert bear spray during a presentation by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on good bear safety habits at the center in Eagle River, Alaska, on Sunday, April 15, 2012. (Alaska Star, Matt Tunseth)

Nanaimo RCMP are investigating after a couple was doused with bear spray following a reported road-rage incident on Sunday.

Mounties say the couple, who are from Vancouver and who are both in their early 60s, were walking to their car after the Nanaimo Dragon Boat Festival around 1:30 p.m.

The husband and wife were walking along Cliff Street near Terminal Avenue when a driver came up behind them and "berated" them for walking in the middle of the road.

"Well if you know Cliff Street there's no sidewalks. It's a relatively quiet street," said Nanaimo RCMP Const. Gary O'Brien on Monday.

"The male pedestrian said to the driver, 'You know what, we didn't think it was a big issue,'" said O'Brien.

The driver, however, seemed to take offence to the response and rolled down his window and sprayed both people in the face with bear spray, according to RCMP.

He then drove away from the area and was last seen heading westbound on Cliff Street.

"What’s alarming also is he didn't reach around for the bear spray, he had it with him," said O'Brien. "So he's driving around in our city with bear spray accessible to him. There's something off with that."

'VERY PAINFUL'

Police and paramedics responded to the scene and the victims have mostly recovered from the bear spray as of Monday.

O'Brien says the sting of bear spray can last 45 minutes to an hour, with lingering headaches and burning sensations – which can be exacerbated by underlying health conditions.

"The only thing you can do is fresh water and fresh air. It's very painful," he told CTV News.

Mounties say a witness was able to take a photo of the vehicle's licence plate before it sped away.

Police tracked down the registered owner of the vehicle who says he has no knowledge of what occurred.

Investigators are now looking for the driver of the vehicle at the time, who is described as a white man in his mid-to late 20s.

The vehicle is described as an older-model silver compact car, which may be a Toyota.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Nanaimo RCMP non-emergency line at 250-754-2345.

"The driver may be out bragging to his friends, often people will do that. We'd like to hear from them as well," said O'Brien.

"People should be upset by this," he said.