A Maserati driver was arrested when Tustin officers found nearly 90 canisters of nitrous oxide in the car after a caller told police they witnessed the driver inhaling from one of the canisters, authorities said.
Officers called to a parking lot near Red Hill Avenue and El Camino Real on Wednesday, Aug. 27 saw the driver inhaling the nitrous oxide while behind the wheel, Tustin police Lt. Sarah Fetterling said.
A photo shared by the department showed colorful boxes and canisters stacked in the passenger seat and spilling onto the driver’s seat.
Officers seized 86 canisters of nitrous oxide, Fetterling said.
The driver, a 39-year-old man from Sierra Madre, was cited for a misdemeanor and released, she said.
No additional information was available by Friday evening.
In California, it is a misdemeanor to possess or be under the influence of nitrous oxide, which is sometimes misused as an intoxicating inhalant.
Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory warning of the adverse health effects of nitrous oxide use. Among the potential dangers are asphyxiation, blood clots, psychiatric issues such as hallucinations or paranoia, paralysis, neurological damage, and even death.
