NEW YORK, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- New York City prosecutors have files a "driving while huffing" charge against a man they say caused a deadly accident while high on aerosol fumes.
The man crashed head-on into an oncoming vehicle, killing an 18-year-old girl, the New York Post reported Sunday.
"To our knowledge, this is the first driving-while-intoxicated-by-aerosol-propellant case in New York state," Assistant DA Maureen McCormack said.
"Huffing" is an increasingly popular form of getting high that is stumping law enforcement. Kids suck on chemicals from aerosol cans and experience a short rush.
The physical signs disappear almost immediately, so police have a hard time investigating cases where the practice is involved. Standard breath, urine and blood tests don't detect the inhalants.
There is no law in the state that specifically prohibits driving while inhaling an intoxicating substance. However, prosecutors hope to set a precedent by persuading a judge to accept the general use of the word "intoxication" in the statutes.
