Police car hits inmate picking up trash on road

A prison inmate picking up trash along U.S. 70 was struck by a New Bern police car Monday. The officer told investigators that he fell asleep at the wheel.

The inmate, Antuoin Richardson, 27, was flown to Pitt County Memorial Hospital to be treated for hip injuries.

He was struck by a side mirror of the patrol car driven by police officer James Rowe.

The accident happened about 11:17 a.m.

Rowe, 36, was returning to New Bern from Cherry Point MCAS, where he had undergone training in working with police dogs.

Rowe had been on duty from 11 p.m. Sunday to 11 a.m. Monday. There was no dog in his patrol car when the accident happened.

Rowe joined the police force June 3, 1998.

Highway Patrol Trooper S.M. Casner said Rowe was traveling west on U.S. 70 in the lefthand lane near the Riverdale community.

Casner said Rowe ran off the road to the left and struck the inmate. Rowe overcorrected and came back onto the road and went to the median, where his cruiser stopped.

"He said he dozed off and the next thing he knew he was in the median," Casner said.

Rowe was not injured.

Richardson is an inmate at the minimum-security prison in Newport. He was sentenced to just over a year for selling drugs.

Casner has not filed charges. He said he is taking the facts to the District Attorney's Office for review.