CA man allegedly fled from SLO police while under the influence of ‘whippets’
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- SLO police arrested Nathaniel Lee, 23, for DUI and felony evasion charges.
- Lee fled after allegedly huffing nitrous oxide in a Marsh Street parking garage.
- Officers halted pursuit for safety; Lee was later cornered in a dead-end lot.
A California man was arrested in San Luis Obispo for allegedly driving under the influence of “whippets” while fleeing from the police on Sunday night.
On Sunday afternoon, a SLO parking enforcement officer called the San Luis Obispo Police Department to report a man huffing “whippets” — pressurized nitrous oxide cartridges commonly used for whipped cream dispensers — inside a car in the Marsh Street parking garage, the police department posted on Facebook.
The man was later identified as Nathaniel Lee, 23, of Glendale.
Lee left the garage, then returned hours later and continued, the post said. Upon seeing the parking enforcement officer, he drove out of the garage.
Officers located Lee’s vehicle on Broad Street and attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Lee nearly crashed into a police car, prompting officers to stop the pursuit for their safety, the post said.
Without lights or sirens, officers continued to follow Lee’s vehicle from a safe distance as he drove from Broad Street, to Tank Farm Road and finally onto South Higuera Street.
During his drive, officers saw Lee throw multiple black whippet canisters from his car.
Lee eventually turned into the Pacific Coast Center — a dead-end lot at 75 Higuera St. — where he nearly drove over a curb in an attempt to turn his car around, the post said.
Lee exited his car, but not before disposing of another whippet canister onto the street, the post said. At around 7:45 p.m., Officers took Lee into custody.
Lee was arrested and booked on suspicion of charges of felony evasion of a peace officer and misdemeanor driving under the influence.
