ONLY ON 3: Police: Teen huffing before wrecking car

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — A New Hanover County teenager is hospitalized after Wrightsville Beach Police say she huffed inhalants behind the wheel and blacked out with her friends in the car. It all happened just after midnight Tuesday morning.

Sgt. Rob Miller says 19-year-old Randi Petrolino and two friends were huffing dust cleaner when they crossed the Wrightsville Beach draw bridge. Petrolino and the front seat passenger blacked out.

The car barely missed a telephone pole, but hit a yield sign which went through the front windshield. Then the car plowed through a flower bed and flew 65 feet in the air, landing at the base of a tree.

Police say when Petrolino regained consciousness, she ran saying “I can’t get another DUI.”

“She was also under the influence of alcohol it appears, so that plays a factor as well,” Miller said. “Plus she was under the legal age, very dangerous situation, three people were injured, very lucky to be alive at this point.”

Petrolino already had a revoked license. All three were sent to the hospital.

Ironically, six hours earlier, Wrightsville Beach Police say they arrested a man in his 40s who had huffed six cans of dust cleaner.

Petrolino is still at the hospital in good condition. Her two passengers were treated and released.

Petrolino faces a list of charges including DWI, underage consumption, inhaling toxic fumes and failing to report an accident.