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Police find driver allegedly ‘actively huffing’ in car following parking-lot crash

By Dean Shalhoup - Senior Staff Writer | Sep 8, 2021

Brian Joseph Toland, 49, of 429 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack

MERRIMACK — A 49-year-old man is due in court next week following his arrest on charges accusing him of driving under the influence of drugs and “inhaling vapors,” a practice known as “huffing” that involves inhaling the contents of aerosol cans.

Brian Joseph Toland, of 429 Daniel Webster Highway, was booked on the five misdemeanor charges and later released on personal recognizance bail. He is due in Merrimack district court next Tuesday.

The charges include one count each of driving under the influence of drugs; possession of prescription drugs without a prescription; transporting drugs in a motor vehicle; criminal mischief; and inhaling vapors.

Police said officers responding to a call for a motor vehicle crash in the parking lot of 734 Daniel Webster Highway encountered a man inside a vehicle “actively huffing” and possibly intoxicated.

The driver, later identified as Toland, allegedly would not respond to the officers when they tried to gain entry into the vehicle, police said.

The officers “made further attempts” to gain entry, police said, but they were unsuccessful.

Eventually, the officers forced entry to the vehicle through a window, police said.

Toland allegedly showed signs of impairment, police said, and was evaluated by ambulance personnel who had been summoned to the scene.

They transported Toland to a local hospital for further evaluation, police said, adding that when Toland was later released, he was transported to police headquarters for booking.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.