Shocking bodycam footage has revealed the moment a partially-nude woman pleaded with police officers to let her 'just go home' after she was allegedly caught inhaling nitrous oxide 'whippets' while behind the wheel of her car.
A Rapid Descent into Repeated Offences
The 46-year-old woman, who has not been publicly identified, first came to the attention of deputies in Pierce County, Washington, on November 12. Authorities were called to a parking lot after a witness reported seeing the woman get into her Subaru and begin using the recreational drug.
Upon arrival, police discovered a number of dispensed canisters inside her vehicle. The situation took a bizarre turn when they asked her to exit the car and realised she was nude from the waist down. The woman, who was visibly emotional and slurring her words, denied using the substance despite the evidence and begged officers: 'Can I just go home?'
She agreed to perform field sobriety tests but failed them immediately, leading to her arrest for physical control of a vehicle while under the influence. She was booked into the Pierce County Jail and later released after posting bail.
A Pattern of Dangerous Behaviour
Just three days later, on November 15, the same woman was arrested again. This time, she had driven her Subaru into a power box and a street pole, an incident that left her car totalled. Officers at the scene reported finding more empty canisters in her vehicle, resulting in upgraded charges of DUI and malicious mischief in the first degree.
Her third arrest occurred on November 20, merely eight days after the first. A witness found her slumped over in her vehicle in a parking lot, again with more canisters present. As deputies arrived and used their vehicles to block her exit, a familiar face appeared—the same deputy who had arrested her the first time.
The deputy was seen on bodycam footage scolding the woman, stating, 'This is not ok, you're going to crash and kill someone.' He reminded her that he had arrested her just over a week prior and indicated he would request a prosecutor bring additional charges for her reckless behaviour.
Consequences for Endangering the Public
Despite this string of arrests, she was bailed out once more. The Pierce County Sheriff's Office reported she was 'back on the roads within 24 hours.' True to form, on November 23, she was involved in a fourth incident, striking a parked car in Tacoma. The collision caused a chain reaction, resulting in two parked cars ramming into each other, and she totalled her car for a second time.
In response to this escalating and dangerous pattern, the prosecutor's office took decisive action. On November 24, they issued two DUI warrants for her arrest with bail set at $50,000, citing her as a high-risk danger to the community. Deputies arrested her at her home on November 26 around 7:30 am, and she remains in custody.
This case highlights the severe legal repercussions of repeated driving under the influence and the dangers of using substances like nitrous oxide, often called 'whippets', which are legal in Washington state for legitimate purposes like creating whipped cream but illegal when used as a recreational drug.
