Blog Report

Friday, April 29, 2011

Inhalant Abuse Related Arrest in Indiana

Via Eagle 99.3 FM WSCH in Indiana:

Last October, an 18 year old male admitted he had been huffing shortly before the fatal collision. His car crashed head on into another car, killing the 68 year old driver and seriously injuring her 60 year old friend.

The 18 year was arrested this past week on charges of “Reckless Homicide, Operating While Intoxicated Causing Death, and Operating While Intoxicated Causing Serious Bodily Injury.”

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Huffing Whipped Cream in the Store Aisles in Tennessee

Via the Herald Citizen in Tennessee:

Last Saturday evening store employees witnessed a male and female huffing whipped cream in the aisle of the local Wal-Mart.

An employee reported to police “the subjects went to a cooler at the rear of the store and took a case (12 cans) of whipped cream from the cooler. The subjects then took the case a few aisles over and huffed the contents of the cans." The police report also notes they left the cans in the middle of the aisle and left the store.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

25 Year Old Man Dies After Huffing Refrigerant

Courtesy of KTBS.com
Ruston, LA

On Thursday April 21, a 25 year old Ruston man was found unconscious in his camper after huffing refrigerant.

Witnesses had seen the man, an employee of a heating and air-conditioning company, in the camper with the container of refrigerant, just minutes before he was found laying on the floor.

The 25 year old died yesterday, April 26 after spending 6 days on life support in a local hospital.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Three Springerville Men Arrested

Courtesy of WMIcentral.com
Springerville, AZ

April 14, 2011

Three men ages 17, 22, and 28, were arrested in Springerville.

The three were in a Springerville hotel when a strange odor was emanating from their room. When police arrived to investigate they found the 28 year old man who appeared to be intoxicated.

Police entered the room and found drug paraphernalia, controlled substances, and gold spray paint, which he admitted to huffing with friends, three hours before police arrived.

When police asked him where his friends had gone, he reported that they were in the bathroom. When backup arrived the police entered the bathroom and found the 17 and the 22 year old.

The 22 and 28 year old was arrested and charged with: possession of drug paraphernalia, possession and sale of a controlled substance, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and aggravated criminal damage.

The 17 year old was referred to a juvenile court before being turned over to his mother.

Iowa Man Arrested After Huffing

Courtesy of the Iowa City Press-Citizen
Iowa City, IA

A 19 year old Iowa man was arrested for huffing, drinking and driving.

Police responded to a complaint from a local retailer that a man was huffing from an aerosol whipped cream can in the parking lot. When they arrived, they followed the man's car out of the lot and stopped him for having a headlight out.

When the officers spoke to the man, they noted that he appeared to be intoxicated. The 19 year old failed the field sobriety test, and on a preliminary alcohol breath test, he showed a level of .218.

He was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Man Arrested for the 48th Time for Huffing Paint

Courtesy of Wayne.com
Fort Wayne, IN

A Fort Wayne man was arrested for the 48th time on Thursday, after his wife called the police and told them he was in their apartment huffing paint.

When an officer arrived, he found the woman outside of the apartment, afraid to enter. The woman gave the officer the key and followed him up the stairs.

When the officer entered the apartment he found the man sitting on the couch, his face and hands covered in silver spray paint. Police reported that he had a can of silver spray paint in his right hand and a paint covered bag in his left.

He was arrested and charged, for the 48th time since 1992, with inhaling toxic vapors.

Four Juveniles Arrested on Drinking, Graffiti, and Drug Charges

Courtesy of the East County Magazine
El Cajon, CA

Four teens and a 28 year old man were arrested on April 19, when police responded to a complaint that there were people drinking on the property of a local elementary school. The first call was placed at 11PM. The second call came only minutes later when a caller reported that there were two kids "tagging" or painting graffiti on the property.

When police arrived, the three officers approached two of the suspects who then fled in opposite directions. One officer, who pursued one of the suspects alone, was rounding a corner when the suspect jumped out at the officer and held out his hand. The officer, fearing for his life shot the suspect through the extended wrist.

The 28 year old man (who what shot) had a blood alcohol level of .374, an hour after the shooting.

The investigation led police to the four juveniles who were with the man at the school.

In addition to drinking and huffing, the four juveniles were responsible for an estimated $10,000 in damages to the property.

Supermarket Contributing to Inhalant Abuse Problem

Courtesy of abc.net
Alice Springs, Australia

Youth workers in Alice Springs say a local supermarket giant's store layout is contributing to the inhalant abuse problem in the area.

The workers say that the location of the products is conducive to theft, because they are shelved in the back of the store.

They admit that there is little that can be done on the local level because it is a franchise and the local store owners, "have no control over how they lay the shop out."

The youth workers have been unable to get the attention of the company's management to tell them, "they are unconsciously contributing to the problem."

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Texas Woman Found Huffing in Bathroom Stall

Via KTXS in Texas:

On Tuesday afternoon Abilene police responded to a call regarding a 28 year old woman who was huffing in a local restroom stall. Medical personnel responded as well and she was treated and cleared. The woman was then arrested and “charged with possession of a volatile chemical or inhalant.”

Wyoming Car Crash Linked to Inhalant Abuse

Via Trib.com in Wyoming:

On Monday evening a 19 year old man crashed his car after huffing from cans of computer dusting spray. He had “inhaled “a shot” of dust remover just after leaving the eastside Walmart.”

His car struck a curb, he passed out, and the car crashed into another car. Inside the vehicle police found “several eight-ounce cans of “industrial strength ultra duster.”

Florida Man Caught Huffing Behind the Wheel

Via the Sun Sentinel in Florida:

Earlier this month Police in Gainesville, Florida received a number of calls regarding a driver who was repeatedly “inhaling from an aerosol then and apparently passing out behind the wheel.” Police found the driver and the 30 year old man admitted to huffing behind the wheel.

Wisconsin Male Admits to Huffing 8 Cans Behind the Wheel

Via KTIV in Wisconsin:

Earlier this month police were called to a store in Eau Claire for a report of a man passed out in a car. Employees had noticed an individual “in his car with his head back and his eyes closed, with an aerosol can on his chest, and more cans around him.” The 27 year old man admitted to huffing from 8 cans of a product to get high.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Alabama Man in Custody

Courtesy of the Southeast Sun
Coffee County, AL

A 19 year old Coffee County man is in custody on charges of attempted murder, first degree criminal mischief, and third degree burglary.

He attempted to back over an officer responding to a trespassing call, made by his parents. The officer testified that, when he approached the vehicle that the young man was sitting in, the driver put the vehicle in reverse and spun the tires, narrowly missing the officer and crashing into his patrol car.

The young man fled the scene and was found at a nearby church, where three officers used Taser guns in an attempt to subdue him. They reported that because of his drug-induced state, the Tasers were rendered ineffective, so the officers removed him from the vehicle by force.

He admitted to huffing nearly 20 cans of duster over the weekend preceding the incident.

Nineteen Year Old Huffs and Crashes

Courtesy of WWAY News Channel 3
New Hanover County, NC

A 19 year old woman was charged with a DWI, driving after consuming, inhaling toxic vapors and driving, failing to give notice, and damage to real property last year, after huffing dust remover and crashing her car.

She plead guilty to the charge of inhaling toxic vapors and driving and completed both AA and inpatient treatment.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Man Arrested for Huffing

Courtesy of the Marco Eagle
Bonita Springs, FL

Police received a call that a 47 year old Bonita Springs man was huffing outside of a local pharmacy.

When police arrived he had fled the scene on his bicycle. The man was later spotted by police at another pharmacy abusing an aerosol dust remover.

He was arrested and charged with inhaling toxic chemicals.

Wyoming Man Faces Felony DUI Charge

Courtesy of the Billings Gazette
Casper, WY

A 25 year old Casper man has been accused of purchasing a can of dust remover and inhaling it while driving.

Witnesses observed a vehicle swerving across traffic before it crashed into a nearby retailer's sign. The first officer to arrive reported that the driver was incoherent and could not recall his own name.

An open can of dust remover was found in the vehicle, along with a receipt showing that it had been purchased only minutes before the crash.

If convicted, this would mark his fourth DUI in ten years.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Driver Huffs and Leads Police on Chase

Courtesy of News Channel 8
Portland, OR

Portland Police say they have a 45 year old Vancouver woman in custody who was huffing nitrous oxide while leading them on a chase.

Oregon State Police said they had observed a woman huffing from a whip cream dispenser while driving down the interstate just after 12:00PM Friday.

The trooper tried to stop the woman who then fled at speeds between 60-80mph.

Portland Police eventually stopped the woman and arrested her for DUI, reckless driving, driving on a suspended license and eluding police.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Driver Pleads Guilty in Vehicular Homicide Case

Courtesy of PhillyBurbs.com
Mount Holly, NJ

A 20 year old Mount Holly man admitted that on March 18, 2010, he had used marijuana and duster to get high before getting behind the wheel.

The driver lost control and crossed a busy highway before crashing into another vehicle driven by a beloved local teacher, who died at the scene.

The 20 year old Mount Holly man and his passenger were also injured in the crash.

The driver plead guilty to vehicular homicide, assault with auto, driving while impaired, and driving without insurance. He is expected to be sentenced to 6 years in prison, and must also pay restitution to the victim's family.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Death By Huffing

By John DiConsiglio
Courtesy of Scholastic Choices

Ashley Upchurch was a top student with a pack of friends. She was never in trouble with her parents or teachers. As a result, no one suspected that Ashley and her friends were regularly getting high and had been doing so since they turned 11.

"We got good grades, people looked up to us, we were popular kids," Ashley, now 17, tells Choices, "and when we went behind closed doors, we were huffing duster."

Ashley was one of 2.6 million teenagers who get high by sniffing the fumes from inhalants--common products like lighter fluid and nail-polish remover. Most kids at school knew Ashley and her friends were huffing, but teachers and parents never had a clue. Unlike with other drugs, there were no telltale signs of abuse--no empty beer bottles and no scent of marijuana smoke to give them away. "They had no idea," Ashley says. "We did it everywhere--in cars, our bedrooms.

Ashley is one of the lucky ones. She quit huffing two years ago when she realized "these highs nearly destroyed my life." Each year, more than 100 teens die from inhalant abuse, some on their very first huff.

"People don't know just how common inhalant abuse is among young people," says Jennifer Caudle, director of family medicine at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. "Inhalants are easy to get because they're cheap and legal to buy."

Inhalants can be found pretty much everywhere: under the kitchen sink, in a closet, in a garage. "It was extremely easy to get the stuff I inhaled because you could buy it in a store, you could steal it, or you could even steal it from your parents' computer room," Ashley says.

Sniffing inhalants cuts the oxygen supply to your brain and lungs. The toxic fumes dissolve the protective covering around your brain cells. As this coating deteriorates, messages travel ever more slowly through your brain. That can cause muscle spasms, tremors, and permanent damage to your speech and memory. Inhalant abuse can also lead to problems with your heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys.

About half of all inhalant-related deaths are caused by accidents, like car crashes involving drivers who are high on inhalants. Most frightening is a fatal condition called sudden sniffing death syndrome. A person's very first sniff can speed up his or her heart so drastically that he or she suffers a heart attack and dies. "There's no way to predict it," says Christopher Cathcart of the Consumer Specialty Products Association, which represents companies that make household products. "Even if one kid is using something and getting a buzz, his friend can use the same product and die from the first sniff."

Her days of huffing behind her, Ashley warns anyone she can about the dangers of abusing inhalants. "You're not going to look glamorous when your parents find you dead in your room because you were huffing," she says.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Teen Pleads Guilty in Huffing and Driving Case

Courtesy of WFMY News
Charlotte, NC

A NC teen pleaded guilty to a felony charge of death by a vehicle for an incident that occurred in April 2010.

The two teens had reportedly been huffing dust remover, drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana that evening.

When they left to purchase more cans of dust remover, the driver lost control of his vehicle and struck a tree, bounced off of the column of a nearby building, and then came to rest against a parked car.

The passenger was killed.

The driver was sentenced to six months in jail.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Man Found Huffing in Parking Lot

Courtesy of the Star Beacon
Ashtabula Township, OH

A store employee dialed 911 after watching a man huff, and then convulse in his car outside an Ashtabula store.

The 27 year old man was arrested on Saturday afternoon for abusing harmful intoxicants, but was then released on a summons to be transported to Ashtabula County Medical Center for treatment.

The man had a history of inhalant abuse and was last found huffing in late January by a deputy on patrol, who spotted him passed out in his car.

Teen Found in Woods After Huffing

Courtesy of The Portland Press Herald
Raymond, ME

Deputies from the Cumberland County Sheriffs Office found a 17 year old boy who had gone missing after he was caught huffing dust remover at around 1 AM.

Staff members at the home where he was residing spent 30 minutes searching the grounds for him before they called the local sheriffs office for assistance.

Deputies searched a nearby woods for nearly an hour before finding the teen curled up against a tree.

He was transported to a nearby medical center for treatment.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Petition to Check Substance Abuse

Courtesy of the Hindustan Times
Delhi, India

A petition has been filed with the Delhi High Court, asking that the government and schools check students for substance abuse.

The goal of the petitioner was to make parents and students aware of the dangers of inhalant abuse.

The petition was inspired by a local news report showing that students at a top school in the area had been caught abusing products.

13 Year Old Boy Dies from Huffing the Day Before His Birthday

Courtesy of the Gladstone Observer Gladstone, Queensland Thursday night at 11 PM police were alerted about a young boy that was unconscious in the parking lot of a nearby store. When police arrived the young man was still unconscious. Police administered CPR until the ambulance arrived. At one point during the resuscitation attempt, the boy briefly regained consciousness. He was believed to have been inhaling an aerosol prior to his death. His 14th birthday would have been Friday.

Sussex County to Try to Keep Kids Safe

Courtesy of the Advertiser News
Green Township, NJ

Sussex County has put together a program to make sure kids "survive the risk years."

The program called, "Project Alert: Helping Our Kids Survive Their Most At Risk Years" is to take place Thursday, April 7 at Green Hill School in Green Township. Attendees will hear from a youth in recover, law enforcement, a prevention specialist, and an addictions counselor.

Officials reported a 27% increase in alcohol use and a 55% increase in inhalant abuse among 6th graders. One official discussing the increase was quoted saying, "really good kids, from really good homes, from really good schools do drugs too.”

NC Woman Drives After Huffing and Crashes Car Twice

Courtesy of TheTimesNews.com
Burlington, NC

Police say a woman left the parking lot of a store in Burlington and instead of turning left or right, ran directly into a car parked along the street. She then left the scene in her car and proceeded to run a stop sign at a nearby intersection, and drove her car into a tree.

She did not sustain any injuries in either of the crashes, but was charged with driving while impaired and possession of inhalants as police found pills and inhalants in her car.

Other charges are pending, including hit-and-run for the initial accident.

Pennsylvania Man Arrested After Huffing in Parking Lot

Courtesy of Pennsylvania's Fox News Lancaster County, PA On Friday, a local man was spotted huffing from a can of aerosol cleaner and acting intoxicated in a parking lot outside of a major retail store. Police arrived and arrested the man for public intoxication and illegal use of solvents.