Parents of crash victim sue store over 'whippets'

PalmBeachPost ^ | Dec. 10, 2003 | Josh Mitchell

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BOCA RATON - The parents of a suburban Boca Raton woman critically injured in a car collision this summer are suing a video store for allegedly selling their daughter and her friend nitrous oxide cartridges that they used to get high moments before the crash.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Palm Beach County Circuit Court, alleges that Gold Coast Video on Route 441 has sold "whippets" to teenagers and adults knowing the products would be used illegally to get high.

Michael and Gina Cook say their 19-year-old daughter, Jamie Cook, bought whippets at the store, just north of Oriole Country Road west of Boca Raton, the night of June 2 and got high with her 17-year-old friend who was driving the car.

Moments later their car collided with another car on Clint Moore Road.

Jamie Cook spent 80 days in a rehabilition center and suffers from permanent brain damage, the parents said. Her friend suffered minor injuries, they said.

Wednesday, a Gold Coast manager who identified himself only as Don said that the whippets were being sold for people who wanted to make home-made whip cream for sexual fantasies. He said the products were recently pulled from shelves in the store's adult video section and at the front desk after complaints that the whippets were being used to get high.

Sheriff's deputies have been investigating the case since the night of the accident and are weighing criminal charges against the video store, a sheriff's spokesman said.

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Jamie Cook

Jamie Cook's car after the June 2 collision.

[Sunshine Sister]

And where does personal responsibility come into the mix?

[dighton]

Nitrous oxide + whippet

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I thought a whippet was a dog.

[Wolfie]

Personal responsibility just ain't part of the American recipe anymore.

[AppyPappy]

Yeah, the store owner who sold the substance to get people high.

[FeliciaCat]

I thought Whippets were dogs....

[Mr. Bird]

What kind of moron sucks in a whippet while they are driving? Sheesh, I always made sure there was something soft to land on if I couldn't stand up....Looks like the store was winking at the use of the cartridges, but it's hardly negligent on their part. It's a legal product. (I am aware of some stores like Lechter's that restrict its sale).

[NewCenturions]

Yes! I have a whippet dog and though he's Had some accidents, he's never caused them!

[IYAS9YAS]

True. So true. Are they gonna ban canned whipped cream now? From what I understand, it's the same propellant.

[Dr.Deth]

I don't think whippets would get anyone high enough to do a whipped cream dance with this one. You'd have to knock over 2 or 3 dentist offices, at least.

[stainlessbanner]

I tried to buy some whip cream for punkin' pie a few weeks ago - some grocers won't sell after 8pm.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Whippet good?

[finnman69]

Driving and doing whippets at the same time? Darwin award winner!

[IYAS9YAS]

Yeah, the store owner who sold the substance to get people high.

They sold a legal substance. Questionable, but legal.

Using that logic, should we now sue any gun store owner for an illegal act committed by someone who legally bought a legal product?

[Jaded]

You can do that already.

[AppyPappy]

Bad analogy. A better analogy is if the store owner was selling airplane glue knowing it was to be used for huffing. The owner knew the intention of the NO.

[Hillary's Folly]

What kind of moron sucks in a whippet while they are driving? Sheesh, I always made sure there was something soft to land on if I couldn't stand up....

Bingo, what a weird experience that is, I could drive my lawn mower let alone a car.

[Hillary's Folly]

could = couldn't

[pabianice]

No doubt they're also suing the car manufacturer for negligence.