It’s no laughing matter.
A Houston dentist led cops on a brief chase Saturday before getting nabbed him with more than 100 canisters of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, stashed inside his car — and admitted he likes huffing while driving, according to records and reports.
Christopher Michael Pedlar, 39, was charged with eluding police and possession of volatile chemicals after he was arrested with the noxious gas, KHOU-TV reported this week.
“It’s a very sad situation,” Houston Police Constable Alan Rosen told the outlet. “The very product that they use — 107 canisters is substantial. He had been using it while they were driving around.
“He admitted it,” Rosen said. “He said he has a problem.”
It wasn’t Pedlar’s first bust over his alleged addiction — Harris County District Clerk records show that the dentist was charged with interfering with a public servant and possession of a volatile chemical in October.
According to KHOU, he was out on a $5,000 bond in that case and was ordered to undergo treatment.
In his new case, Pedlar was allegedly driving along West 19th Street in Houston on Saturday when he was spotted by a patrol car going 44 mph in a 30 mph zone, and refused to stop for police.
He pulled over about a half mile later and allegedly confessed to the chemicals and his affinity for it.
Pedlar was arraigned Monday and was released on a $10,000 bond.
The Texas State Board of Dental Examiners told KHOU that it would not comment on open complaints or investigations, the outlet reported.
