Kennedy Blames Accident on Sleep Medicine

AP ^ | 5/4/06 | ANDREW MIGA

[Jean S]

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (news, bio, voting record) crashed his car near the Capitol early Thursday, and a police official said he appeared intoxicated. Kennedy said he had taken sleep medication and a prescription anti-nausea drug that can cause drowsiness.

Kennedy, D-R.I., addressed the issue after a spate of news reports. His initial statement said: "I consumed no alcohol prior to the incident."'

Later, however, he issued a longer statement saying the attending physician for Congress had prescribed Phenergan on Tuesday to treat Kennedy's gastroenteritis.

Kennedy said he returned to his Capitol Hill home on Wednesday evening after a final series of votes in Congress and took "prescribed" amounts of Phenergan and Ambien, another prescribed drug that he occasionally takes to fall asleep.

"Some time around 2:45 a.m., I drove the few blocks to the Capitol Complex believing I needed to vote," his second statement said. "Apparently, I was disoriented from the medication."

Kennedy appeared to be intoxicated when he crashed his Ford Mustand into a barrier on Capitol Hill early Thursday morning, said Louis P. Cannon, president of the Washington chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police.

Cannon, who was not there, said the officers involved in the accident were instructed by an official "above the rank of patrolman" to take Kennedy home.

No sobriety tests were conducted at the scene.

A letter written by a Capitol Police officer to Acting Chief Christopher McGaffin said Kennedy appeared to be staggering when he left the vehicle after the crash about 3 a.m. The letter was first reported by Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper.

Kennedy said he was late for a vote, officer Greg Baird said in the letter to McGaffin. Baird is acting chairman of the Capitol Hill chapter of the FOP police union. The last vote of the night had occurred almost six hours earlier.

Kennedy said he was driven home by Capitol police.

"At no time did I ask for any special consideration," he said. "I simply complied with what the officers asked me to do."

Kennedy, the son of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), D-Mass., and his staff declined to discuss any further details of the accident. The congressman took part in House votes Thursday.

Capitol Police did not immediately return phone calls for comment. They issued a one-line statement saying they were investigating a traffic violation that occurred early in the morning at that location.

Baird wrote McGaffin that two sergeants who responded to the accident conferred with the watch commander and were ordered to leave the scene.

He said that after the officers left, Capitol Police officials gave Kennedy a ride home.

Kennedy spent time at a drug rehabilitation clinic before he went to Providence College. He has been open about mental health issues, including being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

___

Associated Press writer Laurie Kellman contributed to this report.

[Cecily]

I know someone who is going to do her jail time soon for a second DUI, and of course she has paid fines, attorney fees, court costs, miscellaneous other costs, and she will do community service. Meanwhile, repeat scofflaws like Kennedy and McNinny get off scot free or with a slap on the wrist. I'm sure my acquaintance would have loved to have been driven home and tucked in by the police officer, and the whole incident swept under the rug. That didn't happen, though. Only members of the American nomenklatura get the kid glove treatment.

[bannie]

Hey, there...cutetechielawyerguy. Are you pulling out those silly little laws? tisk!

< / s >

[octobersky]

Exactly! The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

[Buffalo49]

There should be nothing standing in the way of a prosecutor filing DUI charges in this case.
Amen, Hoo! Buuuut...you know they won't

[elli1]

I have read reports of people getting up out of bed and sleep-driving under Ambien. We may want to hold our fire for right now.

Sure. But, after they crash into stuff, do they tell the police that they're late for a vote?

[Mears]

Sure he was,but the top brass drove him home and gave him time to sober up.

Kinda like his Dad when he took his little swim

I despise the Kennedys---they've been getting away with this crap for a long time.

[fortunecookie]

Alcohol and/or drug addiction is a difficult and sad situation for anyone, but there should be accountablility - especially from a legislator and representative of the people. Too many of them do a sorry enough job without that kind of impairment!

I couldn't agree more. It's always tragic. Help is available, I'm sure with his family's history he knows that, and he should take responsibility if that is what is found to be the case. I was flabbergasted when I first read about it because it seemed as though he was getting priveleged treatment. I was hoping he'd be the adult and take responsibility for whatever happened, but his statements seem to be dodging things. I'm glad he didn't kill anyone and was able to walk (stagger?) away.

Alcohol and/or drug addiction is a difficult and sad situation for anyone, but there should be accountablility - especially from a legislator and representative of the people. Too many of them do a sorry enough job without that kind of impairment!

Amen to that. I look at it and think, again, with his family's history of dependency issues, he ought to know better, but having seen people unravel due to dependency problems, I know how hard it is.

[george76]

Concrete blocks keep tourists from walking on the public beach in front of his estate.

The swimmer does not want us blocking his view.

Just like he and his buddies do not want a wind farm producing energy where they might see it.

The blocks also might be used for beach erosion control against storms.

We should tell Greenpeace that Teddy is polluting the ocean.../s

[Mears]

'THIS Kennedy is a piker!'

---

Gibew him time.

[fortunecookie]

It seems that dependency issues are maybe the real Kennedy 'curse'.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

Yeah...I loved the claim he hadn't had any alcohol. As for the cocaine, etc., well that's another story.

[Mears]

'THIS Kennedy is a piker!'

---

CORRECTION


Give him time.

[Don W]

ZZTop Rules!

[GOPJ]

I hope Honey Fitz is watching from Hell while his "dynasty" dies.

Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel...

[Diddle E. Squat]

yourkeywordhere

[AmeriBrit]

JMHO, but it should be against the law to prescribe any recovering drug addict ANY kind of drugs unless they're under 24 hour supervision.

What I find most disgusting and mind boggling is the fact that the people of RI elected him and that he's allowed to influence by the nature of his votes what happens to every citizen of the U.S. not just those in RI with blinders on that voted him into office.

These latest escapades that he's been allowed to get away with because of his name are proof that he's totally irresponsible and should not be allowed to have any position that effects the lives of others.