SARNIA–A couple was blasted with a powerful, noxious spray that left them blinded, gasping and retching beside the road in what police described yesterday as a bizarre case of road rage.

"I've never encountered anything like this," said veteran Lambton County OPP Const. John Reurink of the incident that happened early Friday morning.

The OPP are seeking the public's help to find two men who harassed the couple before attacking them with pepper spray.

"We're still pretty shook up," said 70-year-old Tom Hales. He said he and his 67-year-old wife, Sharon, had to be treated at Sarnia General Hospital after the incident.

Hales said the attack happened as he and his wife drove south on Highway 40 toward their home near Oil Springs, southeast of Sarnia, after they had finished a midnight cleaning shift at Lambton College in Sarnia.

He said his wife was driving "pretty slow" – between 30 and 50 km/h – because there was a lot of snow on the road, when the occupants of another vehicle began harassing them.

"We noticed a car coming up behind pretty fast. It started flashing its headlights and swerving back and forth across the road," Hales said.

"Then it passed us, and as it went past, a person leaned out the passenger window and slapped the side of our car. I got on my cellphone and dialed 911 right away."

Hales gave police a running description of what was happening.The other car then "slowed down, really slow. It pulled over and both people got out and glared at us as we went past. Then they started following us really close again.

"We turned off at Oil Springs Line and pulled into the driveway at Paul and Jan Smith's farm. We hoped they'd think we lived there and go away and leave us alone. But they pulled right in behind us and the passenger got out and walked up to our car.

"My wife rolled her window down and told him `We've called the police. You'd better get out of here.'

"He said, `Why would you do that? We haven't done anything wrong.' Then he stuck a big can into the car and sprayed my wife right in the face. She was blinded. I couldn't breathe and was throwing up.

"The Smiths took us in and washed our faces and eyes," Hales recalled. "It was an awful experience. Now it's going to cost us $160 to get the car cleaned," he said.



