TROY, Mich. (WWJ) -- A woman is facing drunk driving charges after police officers found her drunk and inhaling nitrous oxide in a parking lot last week.
The 49-year-old Waterford woman's husband called police around 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 20 to report his wife was driving in a parking lot at 3150 Livernois and was intoxicated, while inhaling the gas.
When officers showed up to the scene, they were met by the man, who pointed out his wife's vehicle and told them she is suffering from psychological problems.
Officers made contact with the woman, who was slurring her speech, unsteady and smelled of intoxicants.
The woman, whose name was not released, told police she had driven from Waterford -- which is roughly 20 miles away -- and that she had four or five shots of vodka. She also said she had an open bottle of vodka and a nitrous oxide container in her vehicle.
Officers later noted there were 20 nitrous oxide containers laying in the parking lot, where the woman's vehicle was originally parked.
Nitrous oxide can also be known as "bulbs" or "whippets" when the gas is inhaled, giving users a "rapid rush of euphoria and feeling of floating or excitement for a short period of time," according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation.
The woman performed poorly on several sobriety evaluations and eventually blew a .159% on a preliminary breath test. The woman was taken to the Troy Police Lock-Up Facility, where she agreed to a chemical breath test, with results o f .13% and .12%.
The woman was charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Police did not give any information about arraignment.
