A 20-year-old woman who flipped her car after hitting a pedestrian while high on nitrous oxide from balloons has been jailed.
Louisa Tunstall of Bradwell Road in Lowton, near Warrington, was yesterday (Tuesday 13 May 2025) sentenced to one year and eight months at Bolton Crown Court for having possession of a Class C drug, driving under the influence of drugs and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Alongside being jailed, she was also disqualified from driving for two years and eight months and ordered to take an extended test when she is released.
The court heard that at around 7pm on Friday 24 May 2024 Tunstall was driving a white Fiat 500 on Newton Road in Lowton, towards the East Lancashire Road. At the time, the sun was still out, and traffic conditions were quiet at the time.
Whilst under the influence of a now banned drug since November 2023, she veered to the left onto the pavement and collided with a pedestrian, a 51-year-old woman. After striking the woman, the car then overturned and, in the process, caused serious life-changing injuries.
When questioned by officers, Tunstall stated that she took her eyes off the road to retrieve something in the footwell before knowing the car had flipped. Also, confirming she had just been out to purchase nitrous oxide to use that evening.
Obtaining witness accounts and nearby CCTV enabled officers to see Tunstall, whilst driving, inhaling nitrous oxide through a balloon whilst driving seconds before the collision.
Further investigation by the GMP Forensic Vehicle Examination Unit examined the Fiat 500 and confirmed no defects were found on the car which could have contributed towards the collision.
The victim, still to this day, is still trying to recover from the injuries sustained to her leg but will sadly prevent her from continuing her life as she did before.
The Roads Policing Unit (RPU) who are tasked with patrolling and keeping people safe on the road network around Greater Manchester are seeing the use of nitrous oxide as a trending factor in incidents they attend, which is a banned Class C drug since November 2023.
Following expert witness forensic advice as part of the case it was determined generally that nitrous oxide, also known as ‘laughing gas’ is reported to produce euphoria, relaxation, dizziness, giggling or laughing fits, impaired judgement and occasionally dissociation and hallucinations. This all meaning it has shown to have a deleterious effect on reaction time and likely lead to impairment in driving performance, particularly when faced with an unexpected or hazardous situation.
In her victim impact statement, the woman who was the pedestrian that was hit by Tunstall made a personal plea to anyone thinking of getting behind the wheel after taking Nitrous Oxide, to simply not to; “Every night I go for a walk and use the same route. I usually walk with my daughter, however on this evening I was walking alone.
“When all of a sudden, I was banged into from behind which caused me to fall to the floor.
“I remember lying on the floor and looking down at my left leg and seeing blood dripping down. I looked up and saw a white car on its side.
“I do not remember feeling any pain at the time. I was shouting for help, I felt like I was whispering, it didn’t seem real.
“In the coming days I started to be made aware of the gravity of the situation. I have had to have a number of operations to try to fix my leg, at the time I do not have full use of my left leg.
“Prior to the collision I was a very fit and active person. I played netball 3-4 times a week which I have done for the last 18 years. This has enabled me to get out of the house and make friends and keep fit and healthy. I also enjoyed going for my nightly walks.
“Since the collision I have not been able to play, and I am not able to play netball again. This has had a significant impact on my mental health. I am still very emotional following the collision as this was not my fault, I feel like this has been stolen from me.
“I would like to say that this incident has had a significant impact on not only my life, but my family’s life. As I cannot get upstairs, I need someone to be with me all of the time and my daughter has become my full-time carer which isn’t fair on her as she is currently studying at university.
“The incident is still very raw when I think about it, I become upset when I think at everything which has been taken away from me and the ongoing affect it has had and continues to have on my daily life.
“I have gone through a range of emotions after the incident, when I learned the details of how it happened it made me angry, and I feel like I have no control over anything.
“When I go past the scene of the collision in the car as a passenger, I now have to cover my eyes as I can’t bring myself to look where it happened. This has also given me stress when I see and hear emergency vehicles as it takes me back to the day in which the incident happened.
“When I think about the actions of the driver, I feel like she has turned my world upside down. I have missed so much in my life, and I feel that she can just go about her business as normal with no understanding of the consequences for her actions.”
On the sentencing result, the officer who dealt with the incident and investigation PC Stefan Bielizna from GMP Roads Policing Unit said; “It is clear to see the catastrophic effects the actions of Tunstall have had on the victim.
“The victim’s bravery and support in this case to enable to pursue a prosecution should be commended and we hope she can continue her recovery safe in the knowledge that justice has been served.
“It was made clear by the Judge that drivers under the influence of nitrous oxide, like in this case, will be given time behind bars if they choose to get behind the wheel.
“Being in possession and especially under the influence of nitrous oxide has similar effects to other drugs and can severely impair your capability to drive.
“There is no excuse for taking other people’s lives into your hands due to the reckless and selfish behaviours that Tunstall has shown.
“As a unit we are constantly patrolling the road network to catch those who are intent on breaking the law, whether that be dangerous driving, being under the influence or having no insurance. Our proactive approach to keeping the roads safe has seen a 4% decrease in traffic related incidents across Greater Manchester over the last 12 months.”
To report a dangerous or irresponsible driver, call 101 or 999 in an emergency. For more information about drug driving CLICK HERE
