Although alcohol is typically involved in a drunk driving arrest, drivers can be apprehended for driving under the influence of any drug, including strangely legal ones like "bath salts."
A Mayer woman, Lynette Scarry, found that out the hard way after she was arrested for a DUI while allegedly on a bath salt high, reports azfamily.com.
The term "bath salts" is typically associated with minerals used to perfume and soften bathwater. However, the bath salts drug users inject and snort are synthetic stimulants sold in powder form that have been likened to "imitation cocaine." They do, however, come with street names straight out of a Bed, Bath and Beyond catalogue, such as Blue Silk, Pure Ivory, Ocean Burst, and Vanilla Sky.
The drug can cause paranoia, hallucinations, and death. There have been several cases of users hospitalized in Arizona due to the effects of a bath salt high. Authorities in Florida have even reported a bath salt user tearing a radar unit out of a police vehicle with his teeth. The salts have been banned in a few states, but they are still legal to possess in Arizona.
A bill is currently pending in the state legislature which would define the chemicals in bath salts as a dangerous drug.
Scarry was initially pulled over for having an invalid vehicle registration, but the deputy noticed signs of her being under the influence of a stimulant, azfamily.com stated. Scarry reportedly admitted to injecting the salts into her veins the night before and getting bath salt highs in the past by snorting them, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office. The deputy found a used syringe, two clear plastic baggies with white powder residue, and a Clonazepam tablet in the car.
Scarry failed a field sobriety test, which led to her drunk driving arrest, and an initial screening revealed the presence of amphetamines. She was booked at the Camp Verde Detention Center and charged with a DUI, drug possession and drug paraphernalia possession.
Related Resources:
- Find a Phoenix DUI Attorney (FindLaw)
- YCSO: Woman High on 'Bath Salts' Arrested for DUI (Fox 10 News)
- Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (FindLaw)
ShareThis
