A man reportedly “huffed” a can of compressed air at the time he caused a two-vehicle accident in northeast Arkansas, police said.
Officers were called around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday to the intersection of Gee and Oakhurst streets in Jonesboro in reference to an accident.
A witness told authorities that she saw a tan Honda Accord veering into oncoming traffic on Gee Street, with the car narrowly missing her vehicle.
The driver, later identified by authorities as 3̶7̶-̶y̶e̶a̶r̶-̶o̶l̶d̶ 57-year-old* David Allen Wooldridge, appeared to be “holding a can up to his face” and “huffing” its contents, the witness said.
The Honda continued across the east side of Gee Street, where it jumped the curb, ran onto the grass and traveled back onto the road, the report states.
Police said the Honda struck the passenger side of a GMC Colorado and continued west on Gee Street, later jumping a curb again, veering into a shoulder and traveling into a ditch before coming to a stop at a tree.
The GMC’s driver began running south toward Wooldridge around apartments off Gee Street and back north along the ditch bank, authorities said.
Wooldridge was able to run to a wooded area near railroad tracks while being chased. Once officers arrived on scene, he was “quickly” found and taken into custody, the report states.
Wooldridge was arrested on charges of leaving the scene of an accident with property damage only, first-degree criminal mischief, possession of a controlled substance and inhaling intoxicants.
A search of Wooldridge’s vehicle yielded a small bag of marijuana, according to authorities.
The GMC's driver said he was able to pick up the air duster after Wooldridge threw it to the ground. It was later given to police.
Records show Wooldridge was booked around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday into the Craighead County jail and released around 2 a.m. Thursday. He has a court date set for Monday.
*CORRECTION: David Allen Wooldridge is 57 years old. An earlier version of this story incorrectly listed his age.