The death last week of a Rutland teenager, killed after a crash that was allegedly caused by a 23-year old man huffing chemicals, has the city of Rutland mourning, and searching for answers to the broader problem of drug and chemical abuse.
The drug use suspected in this instance comes from a legal product, easily obtained and intended for common household uses.
That’s what makes the challenge for law enforcement in Rutland-and beyond, especially difficult.
It’s an issue Rutland City Police Chief James Baker says his department won’t shy away from, but that also can’t be solved without community help.