Chilling statement of teen driver who killed three friends after taking laughing gas at wheel
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A 'cocky teenage boy' who caused the death of three teenagers made a chilling admission after inhaling laughing gas at the wheel. Thomas Johnson, 19, has today been jailed for nine years and four months after recklessly driving 70mph over the speed limit while inhaling nitrous oxide balloons. Johnson had been a licence holder for less than a year when he sped along the A415 towards Abingdon shortly after midnight at 100mph on June 20 last year.
He lost control of his silver BMW 3 Series as he turned on a bend, skidded and hit a lamppost and a large tree. All three of his passengers, Daniel Hancock, 18, Ethan Goddard, 18, and Elliot Pullen, 17, died at the scene of the crash in Marcham, Oxfordshire, while Johnson spent several months in hospital recovering from his injuries.
Among the wreckage, Thames Valley Police found nitrous oxide canisters and questioned Johnson about his usage. When asked if he had ever taken nitrous oxide before, he said: "No, not this year. I remember doing it once last year with a group of friends before I could even drive but I don't have any recollection after that.".
In another police interview, he chillingly admitted he was aware of the risks. Asked previously if he remembered what the effect of it was, Johnson replied: "It made my head feel dizzy." Johnson told officers he didn't remember what had happened during the time of the crash.
