A 27-year-old Hoquiam woman found unconscious behind the wheel of her crashed pickup truck was arrested for driving under the influence of an inhaled substance, or “huffing,” on Tuesday morning, Oct. 26.

Hoquiam Police Department officers were dispatched to a possible DUI leaving a gas station in the 2600 block of Simpson Avenue around 9 a.m. As officers checked the area, they located the described pickup had been involved in a collision in the 2700 block alley between Queets Avenue and Cherry Street.

Officers found the driver unconscious behind the wheel of the pickup, which had crashed into a cedar fence. Although the driver was passed-out, her foot was still on the gas pedal as evidenced by the rear tires spinning in place with the truck high-centered and stuck on the fence, said Hoquiam Police Chief Jeff Myers.

“As officers approached to render first aid, they noted the driver had a can of Dust-Off — a compressed air duster used to clean keyboards, etc. — in her hand while she was slumped forward over the steering wheel,” said Myers. “Officers were able to open the door, turn off the vehicle and were in the process of calling for paramedics when the driver awoke.”

Officers recognized the suspect as the same person who has been arrested or cited five times for illegal inhalation of substances since October of last year; the common street term is called “huffing.”

The driver was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs (inhaled substance) and transported to the city jail while officers applied for a search warrant for a legal blood draw. The suspect was booked in the city jail for DUI and a prior municipal court arrest warrant for inhaling intoxicating fumes; she later posted bail.