A Tamaqua man waved a gun at his pregnant fiance, and then doused her in the face with pepper spray on May 20, Tamaqua police said.

As a result, Ricky J. Velez, 39, of the 400 block of East Broad St., was jailed on charges of simple assault and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Police said they were dispatched to the area of Boyer’s Food Market around 11 p.m. for a report of a woman who had been pepper sprayed. Police said the woman had red and swollen eyes and told officers that she and Velez had an argument hours earlier.

During the fight, Velez picked up a gun and waved it in the air with his finger on the trigger, she told police. The woman asked Velez to put the gun down because it was registered to her. She then told him that she didn’t want to argue anymore and left the apartment.

Police said when she returned, Velez continued to fight with her. He then pushed her and sprayed her three to four times with the pepper spray.

According to police, the woman took a 90-minute shower and when she was able to tolerate the burning, she grabbed some of her belongings and called police from the grocery store parking lot. She told police that she was in fear for her life and was not sure what Velez would do to her in the future. She also told police that Velez had been drinking.

The woman was treated at St. Luke’s Miners campus.

Officers then went to the residence and found Velez sleeping near two bottles of pepper spray. He was taken into custody.

The woman told police that she was 10 weeks pregnant. Police said Velez has a protection from abuse order against him and has a history of domestic violence charges.

He was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker. Velez was unable to post the $25,000 cash bail and sent to the Schuylkill County Prison.