A California man with multiple prior DUI convictions was arrested after deputies say he led them on a dangerous pursuit. What makes the story even more interesting is that he did so while allegedly under the influence of nitrous oxide, commonly known as “whip-its.”
You know the whipped cream cans that have a nozzle for easy spraying directly into your mouth? Well, think of that, but instead of whipped cream, it’s just straight nitrous oxide.
The incident unfolded on June 22 in Rancho Palos Verdes after an off-duty deputy spotted behavior that immediately raised concern. According to authorities, the deputy observed the driver repeatedly inhaling nitrous oxide while operating a vehicle.
Recognizing the potential danger, the off-duty deputy notified responding units. Deputies soon located the suspect vehicle, a Ford Fusion, and quickly noticed what officials described as obvious signs of severe impairment.
Whip-Its Behind the Wheel Is Exactly as Bad as It Sounds
The deputy observed the driver repeatedly inhaling nitrous oxide while operating a vehicle. Nitrous oxide, often referred to as NOS or “laughing gas,” can significantly impair a person’s judgment, reaction time, awareness, and memory.
Authorities say deputies activated their emergency lights and sirens in an attempt to conduct a traffic stop. However, investigators said the driver failed to stop despite numerous opportunities to do so.
According to the sheriff’s department, the Ford continued traveling through residential neighborhoods while drifting across traffic lanes, rolling through stop signs and red lights, and nearly colliding with parked vehicles. Deputies also used public address announcements in an effort to get the driver to pull over safely.
Officials said the suspect appeared almost completely unaware that deputies were attempting to stop him.
Deputies Finally Put the Brakes on the Dangerous Ride
The officers involved emphasized that impaired drivers do not need to be speeding to pose a serious threat. In many cases, the most dangerous drivers are those who are so impaired that they fail to recognize the danger they are creating to those directly around them.
Rather than allowing the pursuit to continue and potentially place additional members of the public at risk, deputies decided to bring the incident to an end. Law enforcement personnel executed a coordinated tactical vehicle boxing maneuver, surrounding the Ford Fusion and pinning it in place.
Once the pursuit ended, the driver was identified as 46-year-old Jamie Brister of San Pedro. Once deputies eliminated all possible avenues of escape, Brister surrendered without incident.
According to the sheriff’s department, Brister admitted he was under the influence of nitrous oxide and acknowledged that he was “out of it” while driving. Officials said Brister also admitted he continued driving because he was afraid of being caught and told deputies that he is addicted to nitrous oxide.
Three Prior DUIs Apparently Weren’t Enough of a Warning
Brister was arrested on charges including felony evading, driving under the influence of drugs, driving while addicted to a drug, reckless driving, and possession of nitrous oxide. Court records reportedly show that Brister has three prior DUI convictions.
The Ford Fusion was impounded for 30 days. Authorities are reminding drivers that substances such as nitrous oxide can severely impair driving ability and create dangerous situations for everyone on the road.
All suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Commenters Say They’ve Been Seeing Nitrous Canisters Everywhere
The comments immediately filled up with people who had previously noted the number of empty nitrous oxide cans lying in the street as of late. One of the top comments about this reads, “I’ve noticed those cans on the side of the road and freeways…that is so dangerous for everyone on the road. People getting high and tossing those nitrous cans on the street.”
Other people said that they were actually in the vicinity of the danger at one point. A different commenter wrote, “This is the guy that almost hit me. I’m glad you caught him. He was actively inhaling a yellow balloon at the time driving super slow but swerving and not paying attention at all.”
Many comments expressed shock that a product like this could even exist, with another top comment reading, “It’s peach flavored? how is that sold for anything except drug abuse?” Similarly, someone else wrote, “What’s the difference between “Driving Under the Influence of Drugs” and “Driving While Addicted to a Drug”?”
Fortunately, it doesn’t seem as though anyone was injured as a result of the incident.