On November 12th around 1pm, a witness called to report a female could be seen sitting in her car huffing a can of “nitrous oxide” or “cream charger”, also known as “Whippets”. The female appeared unwell and high while her car was running, and the witness was concerned she would drive away and hurt someone. Deputies made contact to conduct a welfare check and could immediately see her tossing cans of Whippets in the back seat. She was also nude from her waist down! The female agrees to do a field sobriety test and fails all categories. She is arrested for physical control and booked into the Pierce County Jail.
On November 15th, the same female was arrested for DUI by the Fircrest Police Department after crashing into a power box and taking out a power pole at 44TH St W and Alameda Ave in Fircrest. Her car was totaled, and whippet cans could be seen all over the inside of the car. She was booked a second time into the Pierce County Jail for DUI and malicious mischief in the first degree for the damage to the power box and pole.
On November 20th, another witness called to report a female slumped over in her car with nitrous oxide cans all over the place. When deputies responded, they were able to stop her before she left the parking lot. Deputies established probable cause for a third DUI, and the same deputy who arrested her days prior was arresting her again!
At this point, the deputies were becoming frustrated and concerned for the community, so a phone call was made to the prosecutor in hopes that she could be held for a longer period of time in jail. The 46-year-old female had bailed out of each arrest and was back on the roads within 24 hours.
On November 23rd, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office learned of a fourth incident that occurred in Tacoma with the same female suspect. This time, she hit a parked car in a neighborhood, causing it to be pushed into a second vehicle. Her car was totaled. This doesn’t end here.
On November 24th, we received great news that the prosecutor’s office issued two $50,000 DUI warrants for her arrest, due to the fact that she was considered a high-risk danger to the community.
On November 26th, around 7:30am, deputies contacted the female suspect at her residence and arrested her for the warrants to ensure she could not endanger the community anymore.
The moral of this story: inhalants are extremely addictive and dangerous. Please reach out for help if you or a loved one is suffering from an addiction.