Iowa woman is pulled over in luxury Maserati filled with hundreds of empty nitrous oxide canisters – before she admits to inhaling up to 75 of them and is charged with DUI
- Ziyuan Zhong, 22, was pulled over Monday behind the wheel of a Maserati coupe
- Officers noticed that Zhong appeared under the influence and that the vehicle contained hundred of empty nitrous oxide cans
- Zhong subsequently admitted to inhaling 50 to 75 of the canisters that day
- Nitrous oxide, known as laughing gas, is often inhaled by people seeking a high
Ziyuan Zhong, 22, was charged by Iowa City police with driving under the influence and possession of nitrous oxide on Monday
An Iowa woman has been charged with DUI and possession of nitrous oxide after she was pulled over in a luxury car littered with hundreds of empty Whip-Its canisters.
Ziyuan Zhong, 22, was arrested by Iowa City police on Monday evening after they noticed she was behind the wheel of the 2014 Maserati coupe that had a ‘driving status of barred’.
When talking with Zhong, officers noticed she appeared under the influence and had ‘bloodshot, watery eyes, dilated pupils, impaired speech, and impaired balance.’
According to the arrest report, there were ‘several hundred spent Whip-It brand nitrous oxide canisters in the defendant’s vehicle, as well as three dispensers for the canisters’.
While Zhong passed a breath test, police subsequently conducted a ‘drug influence evaluation’ and found her to be under the influence of an inhalant.
She later admitted to police that she inhaled 50 to 75 cans of nitrous oxide between 3pm and 7pm that evening.
According to The Smoking Gun, Zhong further confessed to inhaling upwards of 200 canisters per week because they ‘make her feel good’.
Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, is often inhaled by people seeking a brief high.
While inhaling the gas may produce uncontrolled laughter and a feeling of euphoria, it can also cause confusion, light-headedness and even sudden death, according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation.
Nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, is often inhaled by people seeking a brief high
Long-term abuse of nitrous oxide can cause memory loss, limb spasms and psychosis.
Zhong was charged with driving under the influence, possession of a fake ID, and possession of nitrous oxide.
She is being held without bond.
Zhong was driving a 2014 Maserati GranTurismo (pictured)