Inset: Kyle Young (Indian River County Sheriff's Office). Background: The highway where Young was arrested in Vero Beach, Fla. (Google Maps).
A Florida man is behind bars after trying to evade arrest by spraying several sheriff's deputies – including one K-9 – with bear mace, according to law enforcement in the Sunshine State.
Kyle Young, 31, stands accused of one count of resisting an officer without violence and eight counts of battery on an officer, firefighter or EMT, according to the Indian River County Sheriff's Office.
The underlying incident occurred on Nov. 24 along Old Dixie Highway in Vero Beach, a small town located along Florida's Treasure Coast, a region made up of three southeastern counties.
On the day in question, a deputy tried to serve an arrest warrant on Young as he walked along the road when things quickly went awry, according to an arrest affidavit report obtained by Law&Crime.
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First, one deputy used the public address system in his "sheriff"-marked patrol vehicle and ordered the defendant to stop, prompting him to resist and run into the wood line, according to the affidavit.
Then the deputy who penned the affidavit, arrived.
The author of the charging document explains:
Upon my arrival to the area, contact was attempted with Kyle Young. It should be noted that deputies on scene were wearing Law Enforcement vests which had "SHERIFF" in bold letters on the back, a gold star patch on the front, identifying ourselves as Law Enforcement Officers. Once Kyle was addressed by deputies and ordered to stop, Kyle walked away, resisting lawful commands. Kyle continued to yell at deputies to leave him alone. A short time after initial contact, Kyle pulled out a canister, which was later determined to be bear repellent spray.
Young allegedly "continued to resist by running away from deputies into an open parking lot," according to the affidavit. Then, as the growing group of deputies made their way toward Young, he "continued to resist" their "commands to get on the ground or to put his hands behind his back," the affidavit alleges.
Eventually, one of the deputies sent their K-9, Jefe, to try and "gain compliance," according to the charging document.
That's when things went south, authorities say.
"Once Jefe made contact with Kyle, Kyle utilized his Bear Spray, propelling chemicals toward Jefe," the affidavit goes on. "Due to the expelling of chemicals, eight…other deputies, including Jefe, experience[d] chemical irritation to their eyes, skin, and throat."
In response, the deputy who penned the affidavit said he used his "Conducted Energy Weapon," a TASER-like device, to "gain compliance," resulting in the defendant falling to the ground.
"After Kyle fell to the ground, I observed a black firearm with a wooden handle next to his left arm, on the ground," the affidavit continues. "Once compliance was achieved, the firearm was removed for safety purposes."
Several deputies at the scene were treated for chemical exposure, authorities say. In the affidavit, the deputy notes that the arrest was captured on body-worn camera footage.
Young was first treated and cleared at a nearby hospital before being taken to the Indian River County Jail, according to the affidavit. He is currently detained on $57,500 bond, according to jail records. The defendant is slated to appear in court for his arraignment on Feb. 20, 2026.