A Norwalk, Conn., man was charged on Monday with driving while impaired by drugs and multiple traffic violations, Rye police said.
Robert Thornton Haile, 45, was found to have 27 canisters of nitrous oxide — commonly known as whippets or laughing gas — in his vehicle, police said.
Police said they observed Haile unresponsive in the driver’s seat of his running vehicle, which was stopped around 5:25 p.m. on the sidewalk of Forest Avenue near the intersection of Beck Avenue in Rye.
Haile eventually acknowledged the officer and stepped out of the vehicle.
Officers said they administered standardized field sobriety tests, which Haile failed. Haile was arrested and taken to Rye police headquarters, where he refused to submit to a chemical test, police said.
Hailed was released on an appearance ticket and is due back in Rye court on Jan. 6.
