Blog Report

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Minnesota Man Charged After Huffing and Driving

Via: SC Times

St. Cloud, MN - A 28-year-old man, Charlie Ray Barnett, has been charged with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and one count of violating a domestic abuse no contact order. Police were called to the scene to respond to complaints of someone driving erratically. According to witnesses he was driving over the speed limit and made no effort to slow down to prevent the crash. Barnett was driving and crossed into the over lane hitting a vehicle with two people killing both. Witnesses say that Barnett acted strange after the crash and had bloodshot eyes and police found cans of dust cleaner in the car. The car Barnett was driving belonged to a woman who had filed a no contact order against him. Barnett violated the order earlier on the day of the accident and stole the woman's keys. Barnett is scheduled to appear in court on July 23.

Florida Mother Arrested for Huffing and Driving

Via: ABC Action News 

Clearwater, FL - A 29-year-old mother was arrested for huffing and driving with her 1-year-old daughter in the backseat. The woman drove two blocks away from her home before hitting two mailboxes, running a stop sign, and crashing into a palm tree. When police arrived on the scene she was unconscious and they found an air duster can cold on the floorboard. The woman admitted to huffing from the air duster but claimed it was hours ago but since the can was cold police had reason to believe she had been huffing while driving. The child was uninjured but the mother will be charged with inhalation of chemicals and child abuse.

Pennsylvania Woman Huffs Outside of Five Below

Via: Fox 43 

Lancaster, PA - A 29-year-old woman was found unconscious outside of a Five Below surrounded by many air duster cans. The police were called and when she became conscious she tried inhaling from one of the cans again. The woman was charged with drunkenness and illegal use of inhalants.

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Two South Dakota Huffing-Related Arrests

Via: News Center 1

Rapid City, SD - Two separate huffing-related arrests occurred this past weekend. The first arrest happened on Friday when officers responded to reports of a man lying in someone's yard smelling a bottle. Police found that the bottle contained paint thinner and he was arrested to ingesting a substance other than alcohol to intoxicate. The second arrest occurred on Sunday when police found a man huffing from a can of air duster and was found to be visibly impaired.

Wisconsin Man Arrested for Huffing and Driving

Via: Leader-Telegram 

Eau Claire County, WI - A man was arrested after he drove into a utility pole. He said he was driving and got dizzy and passed out at the wheel. Police spoke with the man's girlfriend who said he was huffing a can of whipped cream that morning.

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Missouri Man Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter for Huffing and Driving

Via: News-Press Now

St. Joseph, MO - A 23-year-old man, Andrew Willis, was charged with involuntary manslaughter after he caused a head-on collision, killing the other driver. Willis was found with multiple cans of air duster in his car and his blood tested positive for chemicals found in air duster.

Arkansas Police Warn Against Huffing After Three Weekend Arrests

Via: KAIT 8 

Batesville, AR - There were three huffing-related incidences over the weekend causing alarm among law enforcement officials. The first arrest came when police responded to reports of a man huffing air duster and driving erratically. The driver denied huffing air duster but police found multiple empty cans in his car. The second arrest happened after a woman crashed into another vehicle then drove away. When police caught up to the woman she said she was looking for help but police found a recently used can of air duster in her car prompting her to confessing to huffing and driving. Then police cited a 13-year-old boy for huffing outside of a Walmart. The boy confessed saying he did it because friends told him it would make him feel good. 

Law enforcement is very concerned about the dangers of huffing especially since a man recently died from huffing. They want to encourage store employees and community members to be mindful of large air duster or spray paint purchases and to notify them. 

Thursday, June 21, 2018

Wyoming Psychiatrist Convicted for Huffing and Driving

Via: Powell Tribune

Cody, WY - A local psychiatrist, Matthew Hopkins, has been convicted for driving into a car head-on while under the influence of inhalants and injuring the woman in the other vehicle. A jury convicted him of a felony count of aggravated assault and battery and misdemeanor counts of driving while under the influence of a substance and unlawful use of a toxic substance. Hopkins was sentenced to 18 to 36 months in prison for his offenses. The incident occurred after Hopkins inhaled from a can of dust cleaner and tried driving to his office only to pass out at the wheel and drift into the other lane hitting the other car.

Close friends of Hopkins asked for no prison time and instead mandatory rehabilitation but the Deputy Attorney asked for six to eight years since this is not Hopkins first relapse with substance abuse. In 2003, his medical license was suspended in New Hampshire after he was found writing himself prescriptions. From November 2011 to April 2012, his license was suspended in Wyoming for noncompliance with his monitoring program. All of Hopkins license restrictions were removed in 2015 but he began to relapse publicly in later 2016 after the death of his father. In November of 2016, Hopkins was arrested after he clipped a car in a parking lot and drove off. Police believed him to be under the influence but lacked evidence to prove it so he was awaiting trial. In June 2017, he fell off his bike and police officers found his blood alcohol to be more than twice the legal limit.

Due to his long history of substance abuse the judge and jury felt that more than rehabilitation was required for Hopkins. They said that he was very smart and new the dangers of huffing but made the choice to drive regardless. Hopkins relinquished his medical license and will most likely never practice again.

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Oklahoma City Council Proposes to Ban Selling Spray Paint to Minors

Via: Tulsa World

Tulsa, OK - The Tulsa City Council proposed an ordinance that would ban minors from purchasing or possessing aerosol spray paint, spray fabric dye, and spray metal coating. This ordinance aims to combat two major issues with minors in the city, huffing and graffiti. In Tulsa, the city councilors have found that minors are most often the ones huffing or doing graffiti. The ordinance aims to only curb the misuse of spray paint so minors would be able to purchase them for school projects or other art endeavors only with the company of a parent, guardian, employer, or teacher. The penalty is $200 for minors who purchase or posses spray paint and $200 to any business that sells to them. City councilors support the ordinance but worry how it will effect criminal records of minors, especially since it is an expensive and long process to expunge a record. They also worry if it will burden small businesses.

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Michigan Man Huffs Before Hit-and-Run

Via: 9 and 10 News

Alpena, MI - A man has been accused of huffing before driving and hitting a person. Police were called to the scene and eventually found him and arrested him. Authorities are now using the incident to educate the public on the dangers of inhalant abuse and urging business owners to be mindful of large purchases of items that can be inhaled such as air dusters and aerosols.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Pennsylvania Man Arrested Twice in a Day for Huffing

Via: The Times-Tribune

Scranton, PA - A man was arrested twice in a day for huffing. The first time police found him unconscious in the grass outside of a local Sam's Club holding a can of air duster. When he woke up police asked him why he was in the grass and he responded "because I'm high." He was then arrested and released later that day, only to go to and purchase more air duster and roll in grass in a different location. Police then arrested him again.

Florida Man Overdoses From Huffing

Via: TC Palm

Vero Beach, FL - A 36-year-old man was found dead in his car after police responded to reports of a man unconscious in his car. Employees of the near by store checked on him throughout the day and decided to call 911 but he was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy is still needed to determine the exact cause of death police believe it was an overdose due to huffing. Police found aerosol cans in his car and in 2015 the man was arrested for inhaling a chemical substance.