A Bay Area traffic stop turned into something far beyond a routine DUI call when officers discovered enough nitrous oxide to stock a small dental office, and the driver was still actively using it when police arrived.
On Sunday, June 14, Albany Police Department officers responded to a community tip about a possibly impaired driver near Buchanan and Pierce streets. What they found when they located the vehicle was not exactly subtle. The car was stopped in the middle of the road with the engine running, and the driver, rather than attempting any kind of composure, was in the middle of inhaling nitrous oxide as officers approached.
A search of the vehicle turned up 85 large nitrous oxide canisters, which moves this well past casual recreational use and into a category that raises serious logistical questions. The driver was taken into custody on suspicion of DUI involving drugs along with unlawful possession charges. Albany police credited the alert community member who made the call, noting the quick response allowed officers to intervene before the vehicle was in motion again…