Spring Hill Hit-and-Run Driver Arrested After Allegedly Huffing Electronic Duster

A trooper already on the road in Spring Hill witnessed the entire sequence unfold. A Florida Highway Patrol trooper traveling northbound on California Street, approaching Sandusky Street, spotted a black Ford F-150 driving recklessly and passing in a no-passing zone shortly after 3 p.m. on Friday.

What happened next led to the arrest of Dennis Donald Johnson, 42, of Homosassa, on charges that are as unusual as the evidence troopers found inside his truck.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver lost control of the Ford F-150 and hit a vehicle that had just pulled into a private driveway. When Johnson tried to leave again, the trooper arrested him. The driver had also fled the scene and subsequently crashed into a bus stop handrail.

The physical evidence troopers found on Johnson and inside his vehicle made clear why he had lost control. The trooper stated that Johnson showed signs of impairment and had white residue around his mouth. While taking an inventory of the vehicle, troopers reported finding two cans of electronic duster in the front passenger seat, along with a Walmart receipt. According to FHP, the receipt showed that Johnson bought the cans moments before the crash. One of the cans was empty and appeared to have saliva around the opening.

Electronic duster, a compressed-gas product sold in office and electronics supply stores, is sometimes abused as an inhalant. The practice, commonly called huffing, involves inhaling the propellant directly from the can, which can cause rapid intoxication and disorientation.

Johnson faces charges of hit-and-run and driving under the influence. The Florida Highway Patrol continues to investigate the crash and the extent of the driver's impairment.

The intersection of California Street and Sandusky Street sits in a residential stretch of Spring Hill where driveways and neighborhood traffic are constant. The fact that a trooper happened to be northbound on that same road at that moment, and witnessed the reckless driving firsthand before the crash occurred, proved decisive in Johnson's arrest.