Police say teen was high when he crashed car into house

TAMPA — Tampa police arrested a Jefferson High School student this week, saying he was high when he slammed his car into a house four months ago, injuring a sleeping boy, officials said.

Recently completed toxicology results showed Guillermo Rosales, 17, was driving under the influence when his car crashed into the house in January, according to reports.

Rosales was apparently sniffing contents of an aerosol can right before the accident occurred, said police spokeswoman Janelle McGregor.

Officials booked Rosales into the Hillsborough County Jail Wednesday and charged him with driving under the influence with serious bodily injury and reckless driving with serious bodily injury, according to jail records. He posted bail and was released the same day.

McGregor said Rosales told police that on the night of the Jan. 24 crash, he had just picked up two friends in his mother's 2002 Ford Explorer when he inhaled from an aerosol can. The sport utility vehicle blew through the stop sign.

It slammed into a house at 7910 N Orleans Ave., in the Lowry Park area just after midnight, injuring 9-year-old Joseph "Joey" Vanhouse, who was sleeping on a couch in the living room.

The impact threw the boy several feet. He complained of a bruised knee and abdominal pain and was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital. Police said he suffered a skull fracture.

Joey, the only person injured, was among a group of children who had attended the Children's Gasparilla Parade party and then stayed overnight at the home for a slumber party.

Dong-Phuong Nguyen can be reached at (813)909-4613 or nguyen@sptimes.com.