Police: West Bend woman on probation for 6th OWI was huffing before chain-reaction crash

WEST BEND -- Police said a West Bend woman who's been inebriated behind the wheel in the past was huffing before she caused a chain-reaction crash.

Dash camera video showed the moment officers arrived at Paradise Drive and Silverbrook Drive in West Bend Friday, Jan. 17.

"An eastbound vehicle, approaching the intersection, struck two vehicles that were stopped at the light," said Lt. Matthew Rohlinger.

Police said an investigation revealed red flags.

Lt. Matthew Rohlinger

"If something isn't making sense or they don't have an obvious cause, they're going to look a little further to find out what caused the accident," said Lt. Rohlinger. "There were some indications that something wasn't normal. There were items found in the car that led them to believe that this was a potential huffing case."

Police identified the driver as Kristine Ruppert, believed to have been huffing before the crash. According to police, the 47-year-old woman was on probation for her sixth OWI offense at the time of the crash.

"When a substance that is not designed to be ingested by a human is taken, the side effects can be who knows what," said Lt. Rohlinger.

Additionally, police said Ruppert was behind the wheel with a revoked license.

"We're hoping, at some point, somebody learns a lesson, and something sticks, and behaviors change," said Lt. Rohlinger.

Police did not share details about what Ruppert was allegedly huffing -- as the district attorney reviewed the case for possible charges.