Man is arrested after inhaling bug spray

Man is arrested after inhaling bug spray

Lawrenceburg Now

Law enforcement officers arrested a local man last week who was reportedly hallucinating after inhaling bug spray and officers described in detail the effect it had on him.

Lawrenceburg Police officers were called to a business on East Gaines Street at around 4:45 Sunday morning to conduct a welfare check. They report that when they arrived the man, identified as twenty-eight year old Brian Eugene Smith of 2106 Dawn Avenue in Lawrenceburg, appeared to be very scared and paranoid.

Reports indicate that Smith told officers, “They’re chasing me. They’re after me.” Officers noted in their report that he was “pointing to nothing and believed someone was there.” He was unable to focus his eyes and was swaying and “moving in a very peculiar way.” They noted, “Brian’s movements were consistent with a subject high on meth.”

When officers asked Smith whether he had been using drugs, they report that he said, “Bug spray. Bug spray.” Afterwards, they report that he begged them to stand in front of him so that he could hide. They also noted that he, “had very disgusting foam and spit in the corners of his mouth and was spraying it while trying to talk.”

Smith was taken to the Lawrence County Detention Center, but was then transported to Southern Tennessee Regional Health Systems for evaluation. He was later returned to the jail where he was booked on charges of public intoxication. He has been scheduled an initial court date of March 2, 2018.