Pepper spray used when caregiver starts quarreling with patient, NC sheriff says

An “altercation” between a caregiver and his patient escalated to felony assault when pepper spray was used, according to investigators in eastern North Carolina.

It happened Saturday at a home in La Grange, and ended with the 19-year-old caregiver arrested, the Lenoir County Sheriff said in a March 30 news release.

“Upon arrival, deputies located a 68-year-old wheelchair-bound resident who had been exposed to pepper spray during the incident. Lenoir County EMS responded and provided treatment on scene,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Deputies determined that Austin Stanley Owens, who was acting as a caretaker at the time, used unreasonable force and had the ability to disengage from the situation.”

Owens was charged with felony assault on an individual with a disability, officials said.

Details of what started the dispute were not released.

“While being processed at the Lenoir County Jail, Owens caused damage to county property and was subsequently charged with misdemeanor injury to real property,’ the sheriff’s office said.

The victim declined to be taken to a hospital, officials said.

La Grange is about a 70-mile drive southeast from downtown Raleigh.

This story was originally published March 30, 2026 at 4:18 PM.