‘Whippets’ inhaled before fatal crash, prosecutors say
A woman accused of inhaling nitrous oxide while driving has been charged in connection with the death of a teenage passenger.
Sutton Petz, 28, of Norman, faces felony charges in Cleveland County District Court on manslaughter and driving under the influence, causing great bodily injury.
Prosecutors say that at 2 p.m. Feb. 2 near 84th Avenue NE and Alameda Drive in Norman, Petz drove a 2016 Jeep Wrangler while inhaling “whippets,” the term for nitrous oxide from whipped cream canisters. They allege Petz then passed out and lost control of the vehicle, which left the roadway, went through a ditch, went airborne, hit trees and landed on its side. The crash killed Maddix Bias, 18, of Tecumseh. Bias played baseball at Tecumseh High School and graduated in 2023, according to an online obituary. He attended Gordon Cooper Technology Center for carpentry and masonry. A lifelong Cubs fan, Bias loved going to the lake and listening to music with his friends, wrestling with his brother and being his sister’s backup singer, according to the obituary.
“We are saddened by the senseless and preventable crime that took place and took the passenger’s life,” Cleveland County District Attorney Greg Mashburn said in a statement.
A second passenger in the vehicle suffered multiple injuries, including a dislocated left collarbone and left shoulder, and a fractured sternum.
Petz is out of custody on a $250,000 bond. Her next court date is an arraignment May 8.
Petz could not be reached for comment. It was unclear from online court records whether she has retained an attorney.
Nitrous oxide, also known as “laughing gas,” is used as a sedative for certain dental and medical procedures. It also gives whipped cream a fluffy texture in cans bought in stores.
When inhaled, nitrous oxide can produce shortlived feelings of euphoria or relaxation, according to the Yale School of Medicine. Those who use it also may experience headaches, dizziness, anxiety or loss of consciousness.
A 2019 survey by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that nearly 13 million Americans age 12 and older had misused nitrous oxide in their lifetime.