A DoorDash delivery driver accused of pepper-spraying food has explained her actions after a married couple were left choking while eating their order.
The disturbing incident happened in Indiana after Mark Cardin and his wife began eating their delivery and immediately started coughing and gasping.
Cardin said he quickly realised something was wrong, noticing what he described as “some kind of spray all over” their food.
Concerned for their safety, he checked his home’s doorbell camera footage to see what happened before the delivery.
The footage showed a delivery driver with distinctive purple hair approaching the porch with a food bag.
With dogs barking in the background, the driver placed the bag down, appeared to take a photo, then sprayed the package with a small canister before walking away.
Police later identified and arrested DoorDash driver Kourtney Stevenson in connection with the December 7 incident.
Driver claims she was spraying a spider, not the food
Stevenson told police she was not targeting the food, but instead spraying a spider she claimed to have seen on the ground.
The Kentucky resident said she was visiting her father in Evansville, Indiana, and decided to pick up a DoorDash delivery during the visit.
She told officers she is terrified of spiders and reacted instinctively when she thought she saw one nearby.
However, investigators quickly questioned her explanation.
Authorities noted the overnight low temperature was 35°F at the time of the incident.
“At that temperature, outdoor spiders in Indiana are not active and would not be capable of crawling on exposed surfaces,” the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office said.
Charges filed after missed police interview
Stevenson was arrested by the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office and charged with felony battery and consumer product tampering.
Police said she initially agreed to attend an interview with detectives but later failed to show up.
“She later called and said she was not going to come in for an interview as scheduled,” the department said.
Detectives then prepared an arrest affidavit and obtained a warrant for her arrest.
Stevenson now faces two counts of battery resulting in moderate injury, both Level 6 felonies.
She also faces two counts of consumer product tampering, both Level 5 felonies.
As of Friday, December 12, she was being held in a Kentucky jail awaiting transfer to Indiana.
DoorDash responds as public outrage grows
DoorDash confirmed to NBC News that Stevenson had been permanently removed from its platform.
“We have absolutely zero tolerance for this type of appalling behavior,” a company spokesperson said.
Vanderburgh County Sheriff Noah Robinson said residents should be able to trust food deliveries.
“This is embarrassing for them, but they’re a huge company relying on many workers,” Robinson said.
He added that DoorDash acted quickly and cooperated fully with investigators.
“I certainly wouldn’t discourage anyone from using their services in any way,” he added.
Featured image credit: Mark Cardin & Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office
