19-Year-Old Driver Jailed for Killing Three Passengers at 100mph
A young driver has been sentenced to over nine years for a crash that killed three friends after inhaling laughing gas and speeding.
Thomas Johnson, Marcham, UK, Laughing Gas, Speeding, Fatal Crash, Teenagers
Marcham: A tragic incident unfolded when a 19-year-old driver, Thomas Johnson, was sentenced to nine years and four months in prison. He was behind the wheel when he crashed his BMW, killing three of his teenage friends.
Johnson was reportedly inhaling nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, and speeding at over 100mph when the accident happened. The crash occurred on the A415, and it was a devastating scene.
Video evidence showed him using a balloon to inhale the gas just moments before the crash. The car hit a tree after colliding with roadside furniture, resulting in the deaths of Elliot Pullen, 17, Ethan Goddard, 18, and Daniel Hancock, 18.
The impact was so severe that it “ripped the roof off” the car, and all three passengers suffered injuries that were unsurvivable. They were pronounced dead at the scene, leaving their families heartbroken.
In court, the judge highlighted Johnson’s injuries, which included traumatic brain injuries and permanent disfigurement. She pointed out that he would carry the weight of his actions for the rest of his life.
Johnson had been driving at speeds up to 87mph in a 30mph zone, and there were no other factors contributing to the crash. The prosecution made it clear that using nitrous oxide while driving is incredibly dangerous.
After the sentencing, family members of the victims shared their grief in court. They expressed how the loss of their loved ones has left a void that can never be filled. The pain of losing young lives in such a tragic way is something they will carry forever.