A driver told authorities that his narcolepsy caused him to fall asleep at the wheel and plow into an off-duty police officer waiting in his car for roadside assistance, reports The Oregonian.

A Washington County jury last month found Darby A. McBride, 23, guilty of third-degree assault, reckless driving and second-degree criminal mischief. Judge Andrew Erwin also suspended McBride’s driver’s license for five years and required him to complete 250 hours of community service, undergo an alcohol and substance abuse evaluation and comply with all doctors’ orders to manage his narcolepsy.

Matthew Barbee, 40, hasn’t returned to police duty since the Dec. 14, 2017 crash in Hillsboro due to the injuries he suffered, including a fractured vertebra in his neck, nerve damage and severe neck and head trauma. Sherrie Utley, Barbee’s wife, said in a statement read in court that the crash caused a traumatic brain injury that makes it doubtful he will ever return to work or drive again and requires he receive round-the-clock care at an out-of-state rehabilitation center.

McBride reported drinking alcohol at a Beaverton-area bar, driving home and later waking up after crashing into Barbee’s car, according to the court documents. He said he didn’t see Barbee before hitting him and told investigators that he’d been cleared by a doctor to drive as long as he took medication and followed a treatment program.

Read the full story at www.oregonlive.com