BOSTON — Boston police arrested a 41-year-old Roxbury man early Wednesday after, they said, he tried to rob a man who was getting gas on Blue Hill Avenue in Roxbury and later spat in an officer's face.

Officers from District B-2, the department's Roxbury district, were called to a report of a robbery in progress shortly after 1 a.m., police said. On the way, they were given a description of the suspect, and they stopped a man matching it walking on Blue Hill Avenue toward Grove Hall, according to the department.

The victim told officers he was getting gas when a man approached and asked him for money aggressively, police said. When the victim refused, the man grew angry, said he had a gun and began grabbing at his waistband, according to police. The victim got back into his car and drove off. Police said he identified the man officers had stopped, and the man was arrested.

As officers tried to search him, he spat in an officer's face, hitting the officer's mouth and eyes, police said.

Police identified the man as Alexi Daniel Silva, 41, of Roxbury. He was expected to be arraigned in Roxbury District Court on charges of attempting to commit a felony and assault and battery on a police officer.

Officers also found that Silva had two outstanding warrants, police said. One, from Suffolk Superior Court, lists charges of assault and battery on a police officer, unarmed robbery, breaking and entering at night to commit a felony, and assault and battery. The other, from Roxbury District Court, lists a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

All of the charges are allegations, and Silva is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in court.

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