A man in Vancouver, Washington, was placed under arrest after he allegedly drove while under the influence and led the police on a chase. He is also accused of refusing to exit his vehicle for 40 minutes while inhaling compressed air. A K9 unit did the trick.
The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) detailed that the incident occurred back on July 26. During the afternoon, authorities received multiple reports of an impaired driver.
Witnesses called 911 and said that a man appeared to be passed out while behind the wheel. In addition, callers said that the individual, who was later identified as Brandon Wells, was inhaling from compressed-air cans while driving.
This activity, also known as huffing, is extremely dangerous. And while those who inhale might seek a quick high, they could also encounter sudden death, even if they try it once, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Grappler Deployed
Officers eventually found Wells, still inhaling, still driving. A traffic stop was attempted, to no avail, as the man continued to drive, the VPD said.
Wells was accused of striking a curb, accelerating, and nearly driving into a yard. He quickly became a danger to other drivers and pedestrians, so a pursuing cop, Officer Cooke, knew that he needed to intervene.
VPD footage attached above showed Officer Cooke successfully deploying a Grappler to bring the pursuit to an end. The vehicle stopped, but the incident was far from over.
40 Minutes
Wells’ vehicle wasn’t going anywhere, and it appears that neither was he. He decided, instead, to stay put inside his vehicle, choosing to ignore the officers’ commands, the VPD said.
This prolonged standoff lasted for more than 40 minutes. Cops tried to communicate with him and even used a 40mm less-lethal launcher and pepper balls to gain compliance.
None of these approaches was successful. Wells, meanwhile, was accused of continuing to huff, inhaling the fumes from his compressed air cans.
K9 Intervenes
Final warnings followed, and eventually, a K9 named Midas was deployed. He did the trick, as he jumped straight through the driver’s window, as shown in the shared footage.
With Midas inside the car, the man still decided to remain seated. Multiple officers finally managed to open the driver’s door and pull him out of the vehicle.
Wells was finally taken into custody. He was booked into the Clark County Jail on multiple charges, including attempt to elude, driving under the influence, reckless driving, and resisting arrest.