Alleged shoplifter pepper-sprays guard

A Camas woman is accused of stealing merchandise from Vancouver’s Craft Warehouse, then spraying a security officer in the face with pepper spray.

Angelica E. Perez, 23, appeared Friday in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of first-degree robbery. She’s scheduled to be arraigned April 17 on the charge.

Judge John Nichols held Perez without bail because of a previous pending court case and appointed Vancouver attorney Jeff Barrar to defend her.

Perez entered the Craft Warehouse at 13503 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd. sometime before 2 p.m. Thursday, allegedly placed merchandise in her pockets and attempted to leave without paying for the items.

Two security officers, Sherilyn Eaton and Sheila Moon, attempted to stop Perez. Perez allegedly began swinging her arms and screaming. While Eaton attempted to handcuff her, Perez produced a canister of pepper spray and sprayed it in Eaton’s face, according to a court affidavit. She was then taken into custody.

Court records show that Perez is undergoing a mental competency evaluation in a previous court case related to a charge of residential burglary, which took place Jan. 15 in Vancouver’s Marrion neighborhood.