Another Kennedy Wrecks His Car

Rep. Patrick Kennedy had a little boo-boo with his car at 2:45 this morning in Washington DC (from Drudge):

Police labor union officials asked acting Chief Christopher McGaffin this afternoon to allow a Capitol Police officer to complete his investigation into an early-morning car crash involving Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), son of Sen. Ted Kennedy.

ROLL CALL reports: According to a letter sent by Officer Greg Baird, acting chairman of the USCP FOP, the wreck took place at approximately 2:45 a.m. Thursday when Kennedy's car, operating with its running lights turned off, narrowly missed colliding with a Capitol Police cruiser and smashed into a security barricade at First and C streets Southeast.

“The driver exited the vehicle and he was observed to be staggering,” Baird’s letter states. Officers approached the driver, who “declared to them he was a Congressman and was late to a vote. The House had adjourned nearly three hours before this incident. It was Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy from Rhode Island.”

Baird wrote that Capitol Police Patrol Division units, who are trained in driving under the influence cases, were not allowed to perform basic field sobriety tests on the Congressman. Instead, two sergeants, who also responded to the accident, proceeded to confer with the Capitol Police watch commander on duty and then “ordered all of the Patrol Division Units to leave the scene and that they were taking over.”

A source tells the DRUDGE REPORT: It was apparent that the driver was intoxicated (stumbling) and claimed he was in a hurry to make a vote. When it became apparent who it was instead of processing a normal DWI the watch commander had the Patrol units clear the scene and allowed other building officials drive Kennedy home.

This morning's incident comes just over two weeks after Kennedy was involved in a car accident in Rhode Island.

The apple sure doesn't fall far from the tree. As Michelle Malkin points out, Mary Jo Kopechne was unavailable for comment.

Michelle also has information on the Rhode Island crash three weeks ago. Take a good look at Kennedy's signature on the accident report. Either he's got worse handwriting than I do, or he was drunk as a skunk.

UPDATE: It was the pills!

UPDATE 2: Cinco de Mayo (Clinic)


Tags: Patrick Kennedy, Ambien, Mayo Clinic, Drunk Driving, Capitol Police