Thursday, September 10, 2009

Another huffing case

I have a question for Rachael Jankins.

She’s the 20-year-old Haverford woman who was behind the wheel when her car went out of control, up onto the sidewalk and slammed into two young women who had just exited Delaware County Memorial Hospital. Nicole Gallo, 19, was killed; Christine Bochanski, 20 of Lansdowne, is recuperating from serious injuries.

Jankins told police that she had dropped her iPod on the floor of the car and was trying to retrieve it when the car went out of control.

Police made a point of noting there were no skid marks at the scene of the accident.

Yesterday the results of toxicology tests on Jankins were announced, and they suggest another possible reason for the crash.

In a county where the word “huffing” brings up some very sad memories about young lives lost, police yesterday said Jankins was likely under the influence of an inhalant at the time of the crash. An aerosol can was found next to her in the car. She also had marijuana in her system.

Upper Darby Police Superintendent Mike Chitwood announced the results of the testing and forwarded his findings on to District Attorney G.
Michael Green.

Here’s what I want to know. Does this mean Jankins merely made up the story about the dropped iPod? Police noted they did find an iPod in the car. Or did she merely have the misfortune of losing control while fiddling with the iPod, while she just happened to be under the influence?

No charges have yet been filed in the case. My guess is that will soon change.

I’d be lying if I told you the first thing that went through my mind when I heard the word “huffing” was another case that rocked this county a few years ago. It involved a carload of girls and aerosol inhalants.

It eventually entangled County Council and the county medical examiner.

We routinely used to refer to that case in every story we did on huffing.

About a year after the incident, as we were reporting another huffing incident, I got a call from the father of one of the five girls killed in that horrific crash.

Do you think there will ever be a time when huffing is mentioned in this county when these five girls and the circumstances surrounding their deaths is not mentioned.

I told him I certainly hope so, but, at least at that time, I didn’t think we were there yet.

We did not mention the previous accident in today’s coverage. But I have to tell you it’s been on mind.

Apparently I haven’t gotten past it yet.

Writing stories about kids being killed will do that to you.

1 Comments:

Blogger The Interventionist said...

I well remember the "other" case. Without going into detail, it dominated my professional life and haunted my personal life for years, and I know I am far from alone in that statement. Yet the sad truth of the matter is that there are actually less options for young people using mind-altering substances than there were at the time of that tragedy! My heart goes out to all families who lose their loved ones as a result of substance use. Intervention, treatment and prevention work. This has been demonstrated time and time again. But if we don't address substance use disorders as a root cause problem, one that creates many other problems, then we just keep repeating the same cycle. We grieve, we lock up a perpetrator, we don't face the issues, and so it goes. Again and again.

September 10, 2009 11:33 AM 

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