WASHINGTON — Washington Capitals defenseman Alex Alexeyev was arrested Saturday, hit with pepper spray and charged with public intoxication, according to Arlington County police.

In an incident that occurred at nearly 3:30 a.m., per police, officers on patrol in the 3100 block of Clarendon Boulevard responded to a witness who reported an active fight outside of a business. Officers were said to have observed a male suspect, identified by them as Alexeyev, in a “physical altercation” with another man.

Alexeyev was then said to have assaulted the man as police approached, at which point one officer deployed pepper spray as the 25-year-old was taken into custody. Alexeyev was treated for pepper spray exposure, then arrested. He was booked into Arlington County jail and later released.

“We are aware of the situation involving Alexander Alexeyev and in the process of gathering additional information,” Capitals spokesman Sergey Kocharov said.

Alexeyev’s agent, Craig Oster, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The arrest was first reported by ARLnow.com.

A native of Russia selected by Washington in the first round of the 2018 draft, Alexeyev played sparingly for the Capitals this season before getting some ice time down the stretch and participating in the team’s two playoff series.

In Game 1 of Washington’s first-round series against Montreal, Alexeyev lost several teeth after he took a stick to the face from the Canadiens’ Jake Evans. Alexeyev returned for Game 2 and played 14 minutes in the Capitals’ win. Washington’s season ended last week with a five-game loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round.

The Capitals’ practice facility is just over a mile from where the incident allegedly occurred.

Washington Post reporter Bailey Johnson contributed to this article.