SOUTH PORTLAND — South Portland police used a Taser to disarm and detain a man who they say tried to spray officers with pepper spray.

Police were called to 18 Ocean St. at 11:30 p.m. Thursday for a report of a man and a woman fighting. When they arrived, Nicholas Pallas, 32, opened the door, then slammed it shut. Pallas had blood on his face, police said. He and the woman in the house, Carol Vining, 23, refused to come out, police said.

When police forced their way into the house and had to force open a locked bedroom door, they found the pair hiding in a crawl space, police said.

When they got into the room, Pallas – who is free on bail from a previous arrest – pointed a black cylinder at officers, which police later learned was pepper spray, and tried to discharge it, police said.

Police used a Taser on Pallas and then arrested him, though he continued to struggle, police said. Vining also refused to submit to arrest, they said.

Pallas was charged with refusing to submit to arrest, violating bail conditions, criminal use of pepper spray, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana.

Vining was charged with refusing to submit to arrest and violating bail conditions.

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