19-Year-Old Jailed for Laughing Gas Car Crash That Killed Three Teens

Police found videos that showed the driver inhaling from a balloon before the crash, and while driving the vehicle.

laughing gas
Photo: Annette Birschel/picture alliance via Getty Images

A 19-year-old boy has been jailed for inhaling laughing gas before a 100mph crash that killed three teenage friends.

Ethan Goddard and Daniel Hancock, both 18, and Elliot Pullen, 17, lost their lives in the tragic accident, which occurred in a village just south of Oxford, England, in June 2023. This week, the driver, Thomas Johnson, 19, was sentenced to nine years and four months in jail.

Videos by VICE

During their investigation, police found evidence of Johnson “apparently inhaling from a balloon, along with his front seat passenger” prior to the crash, according to a statement from Thames Valley Police. Other videos showed the driver using nitrous oxide while operating the vehicle. In his car, police found canisters of nitrous oxide.

“This was without a doubt one of the most catastrophic and tragic collisions I have ever investigated. The speeds at which Johnson was driving were staggering, particularly given the road he was driving on,” said Senior Investigating Officer Detective Sergeant Tony Jenkins of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit.

“[Johnson] did not set out that night to harm anyone, that was never our case,” he continued. “But his decisions did directly and tragically result in the deaths of Ethan, Elliot, and Daniel.”

While Johnson did admit to being the driver, he claimed he didn’t remember the time shortly before the crash. The 19-year-old had only had his license for less than a year. Now, he is disqualified from driving for 11 years and 11 weeks.

“I want to pay tribute to everybody who [has] been most impacted by this tragic case,” said Jenkins. “No sentence passed down by the courts will ever serve as solace for those who have lost cherished loved ones.”

“To the families of Ethan, Elliot and Daniel, I want to thank you for putting your trust in my investigation team,” he continued. “I know how hard this has been for you all, and I hope that you can move on with your lives as best as you can, with the cherished memories you have of your children.”

In November 2023, nitrous oxide was reclassified as a Class C drug in the UK, having become one of the most commonly used recreational drugs by 16 to 24-year-olds.