San Luis Obispo police responded to an incident at the Food 4 Less parking lot on Higuera street yesterday afternoon.
SLO police say a family of five adults and two juveniles got into an argument with an adult male, later identified as 38-year-old Travis Franco of Bakersfield. The police department said one of the adult victims feared for the safety of their family, and displayed pepper spray to “compel Franco to leave them alone.” Franco retreated to his vehicle, and returned with his own spray, and used it on the adults and children of the entire family. He then fled as police were called.
Franco was later located in Avila Beach by CHP and Port San Luis harbor patrol. Franco was taken into custody, and was found to be in possession of a handgun in his vehicle, stored improperly.
He was booked into the San Luis Obispo county jail of felony child abuse, misdemeanor unlawful use of pepper spray, and misdemeanor improper storage of a firearm in a vehicle.
