During a routine patrol in Cotati last Friday night, an officer's attention was caught by a car traveling with its headlights off and maneuvering across the road in a way that could hardly be considered safe. The driver was showing the classic signs of intoxication, such as erratic weaving, unpredictable braking, and unsafe lane changes. This led to a traffic stop, where the officer's suspicions seemed to deepen, according to a social media post by the Cotati Police Department.
Upon conducting a DUI investigation, the driver was found to be under the influence, but not of alcohol. During a search, before the car could be towed, law enforcement discovered multiple large tanks of nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas. One of the tanks showed signs of recent use, tucked next to the space where a sober co-pilot should have sat.
The driver, now facing DUI charges, was arrested for operating a vehicle under the influence of an inhalant, a category of drugs recognized for their psychotropic and further impairing effects.
