If someone on the street spits on the ground while looking at me -- is that assault?

Q: If a guy walks by me, turns around and spits on the ground while looking at me is that considered assault? And if I feel threatened and the need to defend myself will I go to jail? -- JackA: "Jack, that's not assault based on the laws in Washington state. With few exceptions assault requires physical contact. Whenever you decide to put hands on someone, even it if it's in self-defense you open yourself up to the possibility that you're going to go to jail. The law does say that reasonable actions can be taken in self defense or defense of others but as soon as violence happens, even in self defense, the police get involved and prosecutors and a jury gets to make the decision on what happens." -- King County Sgt. B.J. Myers