kerry kennedy, daughter of robert f. kennedy has pleated not guilty. just days after side swiping a tractor trailer on a new york highway and later found slumped over the wheel of her car. kennedy is charged with driving under the influence of drugs after the incident. abc news reporting early on kennedy told police she might have taken ambien. and those new court papers say she might have confused her sleeping medication with her thyroid medication. >> i remember getting on the highway and then i have no memory until i was stopped at a light and a police officer watt out my door. a series of tests led doctors to believe this accident was caused not by a sleeping aid but by a complex procedure. >> and i said to myself, either this person's falling asleep, because they're intoxicated or something. >> reporter: he says, she's lucky nobody was hurt. >> and she almost hit five cars before she got off the exit. she had no control of the car. she didn't even make an attempt to slow down the car or stop. she had no regard for herself or anybody else on the ro

kerry kennedy's cousin admitted to taking ambien before crashing his car near capitol hill. she's back in court tuesday where it could go either way. >> she'll need to attend. >> now, the results of kerry kennedy's toxicologies are still pending. whatever those results can play a big role in her defense. >> this is a scary drug in at will of way. >> reporter: diana, thank you very much. >>> we'll turn now for the race for the white house. it's your voice, your vote. mitt romney, the call to release tax returns is coming from his own party, paul bentley said quote, if you have things to hide, then maybe you're doing things wrong. we're joined by host of "this week" george stephanopoulos. safe to say this wasn't a good week for mitt romney. for someone to go within his own party to be more forthcoming. >> it's pretty tough. bentley came out with another statement that he said that romney didn't do anything wrong. no question increasing the pressure on romney to do that. i talked to the romney campaign this week, they're holding firm so far, he'll release his tax returns from 2

a frightening description of kerry kennedy's dangerous highway ride last week. morning, "the new york post" speaking to the driver that night. my first impression was she was very, very drunk, half asleep or very, very intoxicated. authorities say kennedy was seen driving erratically, when she collided with the truck. she veered in and out of lanes. when she hit me, my left tire tore up her passenger side door. just shredded through it and peeled the tire right off. she woke up a little bit. >> but not a lot. not the way you'd wake up if you hit a 6,000-pound truck, he said. the only thing she wanted to do was get away. kerry kennedy was found slumped over the wheel of her car, reportedly unable to remember what happened. police say she told them she had taken ambien before getting behind the wheel. telling "the new york post," she looked like she just woke up. her cousin, patrick kennedy, was the first to speak out about the case. what do we know about the accident? >> this is out of character for kerry. we're worried about this as anyone would be. >> reporter:

here's diana perez. >> reporter: a critical clue in the kerry kennedy crash investigation. kennedy told police she told ambien before she got behind the wheel, sideswiped a tractor trailer and fell asleep. >> there's a lot of reports of people sleep-driving, sleep-walking, even people having sex while they're on ambien. >> reporter: the bizarre side effects of the sleeping aid have grabbed headlines before. judy evans said she had no idea she was getting up in the middle of the night until her son stayed with her, following back surgery. >> came home from the hospital, my son came to stay with me and found me up in the middle of the night, frying eggs and bacon. >> reporter: kerry papps woke up to find she had gotten out of bed, dressed and taken a drive, all while in a sleep-like state. >> i was at work, fully dressed, sitting at my computer, but i don't remember driving, i don't remember getting up. i don't remember getting dressed. >> reporter: now, doctors say these are only some of the side effects of sleeping aids like ambien, depression being another big one. if ambi

and david muir is here with the latest on this. >> as you know, abc news reporting early on that kerry kennedy told them she had taken ambien, but this morning, a kennedy source offering a possible new explanation. that it was something else that cautioned kerry kennedy to sideswipe the tractor trailer. found a short time later slumped over the wheel of her car. this morning a source tells abc news it wasn't drugs but, quote, a medical issue that caused kerry kennedy's crash. another telling the new york post they think she may have had a seizure when she sideswiped the tractor trailer, and then allegedly left the scene driving on a flat tire before police found her slumped over the wheel of her car and arrested her for driving while impaired by drugs. police say she had taken a powerful sleep aid, ambien. >> in the awake state. patients can be confused, be in a daze. patients can actually do things they don't remember. >> reporter: kennedy has covered no public comment since her arrest. in a statement to abc news, a spokesperson said kerry kennedy voluntarily took breathalyzer, blood and urin

. >>> we got new details this morning on kerry kennedy, the daughter of rfk, reportedly has no memory of her collision with a tractor-trailer, this incident is raising fresh questions about the sleeping pill ambien. which kennedy told police she had taken. abc's diane perez is on the story. diana, good morning to you. >> reporter: even more new information is now coming out, sources are telling "the new york post" this morning that kerry kennedy's family that she may have had a seizure, another theory about what happened leading up to that accident. questions are swirling this morning in the wake of kerry kennedy's arrest after possibly ambien-fuelled hit and run. she told police that she had take on the sleeping before she got behind the wheel. sideswiping a tractor-trailer, leaving the scene, perhaps not even aware of what she was doing. it all happened here, friday morning, north of new york city, police said kennedy admitted to taking ambien which contradicts a statement from her publicist. but these may not be contradictions at all. >> ambien has a short half life, by the time th

kerry kennedy, the daughter of robert kennedy, charged with driving while impaired after leaving the scene of an accident. she was found passed out behind the wheel. is ambien to blame? >>> happening now, a storm has erupted on the sun, sending out a massive flare that's hitting earth this morning. nasa says it could throw off our power grid, our gps systems and more. we are tracking it all. >>> breaking overnight. sylvester stallone's son found dead in his los angeles home. the action star is devastated. how did this healthy, seemingly happy 36-year-old end up dead? >>> and caught on tape. call him daring. call him dumb. and if you happen to run into him, call the cops. the guy who recorded himself weaving through traffic at over 180 miles per hour. wait until you hear what happened next. >>> it's very important to start your saturdays with a little ac/dc. >> i'm just wondering if that was my husband driving because peter is a fast driver. if i'm in the car with him, i'm holding on for dear life. 180 miles per hour. >> that, bianna's husband, and i'm one of them, would not suspect t

it might surprise you. >> generous charlie sheen. >>> first, the latest in the kerry kennedy case. d for driving under the influence. she says she wasn't drinking or taking illegal drugs. now, the truck driver kennedy hit is speaking out about what happened. abc's david muir is here with the story. so many questions what could have caused all of this. >> so many questions. today we're hearing for the first time from one of kerry kennedy's well-known cousins. first, the truck driver describing the frightening moments on a new york highway, as abc news learns kerry kennedy will plead not guilty today. a frightening description of kerry kennedy's dangerous ride on a highway last week. this morning, "the new york post" speaking to the driver that night. he tells the paper, my first impression was that she was really, really drunk, half asleep or very, very intoxicated. she's very lucky she didn't kill somebody. authorities say kennedy was seen driving erratically, when she collided with the truck. he watched as she appeared to nod off and she veered in and out of lanes. when she hit me,

brand-new details from the trucker hit by kerry kennedy, as she erratically raced down the interstate. saying he's convinced she was drunk. this morning, the first family member to speak out, her cousin, patrick kennedy. >>> a little girl falling three stories. her fall broken at the last second by a bus driver hero. >> a hero's a sandwich. i just saw a kid.

police say kerry kennedy, the daughter of robert kennedy, was charged with driving while impaired with drugs. it happened around 8:00 this morning along interstate 684, north of new york city. the 52-year-old ex-wife of andrew cuomo,sideswiped a tractor trailer. according to 911 calls, her call was operating in an erratic manner. she was found passed out behind the wheel. kerry kennedy voluntarily took breathizer, blood, and urine tests, all of which showed no drugs or alcohol whatsoever? her system. the charges were filed before the test results were available. kerry has no known history of drug abuse. she was open with police. she told them she had taken ambien. the ken dishave been rief with family misfortune. just this may, marry kennedy committed suicide after battling depression. he was kerry who introduced the couple. they had been roommates. after marry's pass rk, kerry wrote an ode to my best friend marry. lindsey davis, abc news. the olympic games are drawing near, as you know, and security officials across the globe are at a high alert for terrorism. we have evidence tonight

are in a disassociated state so they can do things and not remember the events. >> reporter: kerry kennedy's cousin admitted to taking ambien before crashing his car near capitol hill back in 2006. kennedy is due back in court tuesday where it could go either way. >> i seriously doubt she'd be looking at any jail. she's looking at a fine and some sort of drug or alcohol problem that she'll need to attend. >> now, the results of kerry kennedy's toxicology are still pending, but legal analysts say whatever those results can play a big role in her defense of this. >> this is such a fascinating piece. this is a scary drug in a lot of ways. >> that's right. >> diana, thank you very much. we appreciate it. bianna, over to you. >>> dan, we'll turn now for the race for the white house. it's "your voice, your vote," and mitt romney is coming under pressure to release his past tax returns. but this time, the call is coming from his own party. robert bentley, a republican saying, quote if you have things to hide then maybe you're doing things wrong. we're joined by host of "this week" george stephanopo

new details in the case of kerry kennedy. in court tonight, to face charges of driving under the influence after she crashed into a truck on an interstate north of new york city. she said the crash was the result of a complex partial seizure of the brain. abc's david muir is outside the courtroom for us. david? >> reporter: diane, good evening, kerry kennedy inside this courtroom just moments ago pleading not guilty to driving while impaired. she talked to reporters telling us after the accident she did tell police that perhaps it was ambien that she had mistaken for her thyroid medication. but she said there was then a battery of tests from her doctors and they concluded otherwise that it was that partial seizure you speak of. kerry kennedy, daughter of robert f. kennedy, has pleaded not guilty. just days after side swiping a tractor trailer on a new york highway and later found slumped over the wheel of her car. kennedy is charged with driving under the influence of drugs. abc news reporting early on police say kennedy told

have ever had and with robust investigation and treatment, i'll be able to live symptom free. >> kerry kennedy is the daughter of robert f. kennedy and the ex-wife of andrew cuomo. >>> penn state is planning for another football season despite the fact that the football program could be shut down. a report accused top university officials of not doing enough to stop jerry sandusky from abusing young boys. the head of the ncaa says nothing is off the table in terms of sanctioning the school. they will decide whether to remove a statue of the late joe paterno. one of the officials accused of covering up the scandal. >>> the sudden closure of y-me has some in the region stunned and wondering what happened to their donations. members of a golf group sent the charity a check for $13,000. y-me is known for mother's day runs and 24 hour hot line. y-me's only explanation so far is partly a cash flow crisis. >>> doctors say it could be the most effective new therapy to fight obesity yet and has one approval from the food and drug administration. the fda cleared a pill named qnexa. patient lost up to 10

kerry kennedy, the daughter of robert kennedy, arrested for driving while impaired after leaving thecene of an accident. police found her passed out behind the wheel. and abc's linsey davis is here with what she says may have caused this. good morning, linsey. >> reporter: there are conflicting reports this morning not about what happened but why it happened. abc news has learned kennedy told police she took a sleeping pill prior to the crash. but a spokesperson for kennedy said she was, in fact, not impaired. another kennedy in trouble. kerry kennedy, arrested and charged with driving while impaired. it happened here friday morning, on a highway just north of new york city. police say she was driving erratically. then, collided with a tractor-trailer. then, left the scene of the accident. police later found her parked off the interstate, passed out behind the wheel of her lexus. abc news has learned she told police she had taken an ambien that morning. in a statement to abc, kerry kennedy voluntarily took breathalyzer and blood tests. all show no drugs or alcohol were in her system.

kerry kennedy did not have issue with drugs or alcohol. but of course we're waiting on results from blood tests from police. >> that could take time. thank you, david for being here. >>> thanks, guys. now to the travel nightmare. for passengers trying to get from sang shy to the u.s. we finally stage a revolt, as you see, it got ugly. jim avila has the story. good morning, jim. >> reporter: good morning, george. could be the worst delay in memory. 72 hour, three separate cancellation, hundreds of passengers standed overseas, far away from home and tempers boil over on both sides. >> my crew, the other crew, we want to go as much as you do. >> reporter: you're looking at a united airlines pilot at his breaking point confronted with a gateful of angry passenger, so anxious to leave shanghai, china. they barricaded themselves at the gate. >> if we don't have cooperation, the airplanes may leave empty. so help us out, please. >> you just get the run around by these airlines, you're powerless and frustrated. steve borowka was one of 325 custome

i have never had any history of drug or alcohol abuse. >> kerry kennedy is surrounded by the kennedyy and you heard her apologize to the community. she will be back in court released on her own recog zans. police are releasing results of their own toxicology reports. >> bizarre story and it's hard to make out what happened. it's not a substance abuse problem. >> what are her doctors are say and if there was going to be a physician saying there was not about ambien and it was a seizure, that would make sense. the ambien theory makes a lot of sense also. so many people talk about taking ambien and not remembering anything else. i guess we have to wait until the toxicology report. >> what if there were a pill you could pop that gives you an edge over everyone else at work or school? >> big question there. this thing does exist. the drug is called provigil and those who take it insist it changes their life forever. we look at the risks. >> they are all-around us. a secret society of the successful. the lobyist who wakes up at 5:00 who paik does two big workers before work. the computer p

kennedy had a chance to tell her side of the story. >> reporter: kerry kennedy, daughter of robert f.ennedy, has pleaded not guilty days after police said she sideswiped a trailer on a new york highway and found slumped over the wheel of her car. kennedy is charged with driving under the influence of drugs. abc news reported kennedy said she might have taken ambien and police were told she might have confused the medication with her thyroid medication. >> i remember getting on the highway and have no memory until i was stopped at a traffic light and a police officer was at my car door. a series of other factors led my doctors to believe this accident was caused not by a sleeping aid, but by a complex partial seizure. >> reporter: as police await toxicology reports, the truck driver is talking. >> and i said to myself either this person's fallen asleep or intoxicated or on something. >> reporter: she was lucky no one was hurt. >> i was worried about someone else. she almost did. she almost hit about five cars. she had no control of the car. she didn't even make an attempt to slow down

they've been kidnapped are growing. >>> for the first time since her arrest we are hearing from kerry kennedye daughter of robert f. kennedy sideswiped a tractor trailer. police say she failed a roadside sobriety test and was swaying, slurring her speech, as well. kennedy says she was not drunk and not drugged. >> in a series of other factors led my doctors to believe that this accident was caused not by a sleeping aid, but by a complex partial seizure. >> these says that she is sure was from an old brain injury and pled not guilty driving while impaired. >>> new hope that could be the most propsing 3r50e description drug yet for obesity. the fda approved pill called qsymia for overweight adults with hypertension or high cholesterol. patients who tried it lost up to 9% of their body weight in a year. it's a combination of two drugs on the market. >>> an eye-opening study of being a couch potato. lack of exercise is killing roughly as many people worldwide as smoking and it doesn't take much. just half an hour of brisk walking five types a week would do the trick. >>> penn state could face a p

kerry kennedy is also the ex-wife of governor cuomo. e was devastated when mary kennedy, her ex-sister-in-law killed herself. >> mary was my best friend, the best friend anyone could ever imagine having. >> reporter: kerry kennedy was in exclusion all weekend. we do expect to see her tomorrow when she's due in court on that misdemeanor charge. >> thank you. 7:33. here is willie. >>> the hunt is on for a great white shark that killed someone in australia. this was right in the same area. here is nbc's stephanie gosk. >> the deadliest shark zone in the world. there have been five fatal attacks in months. the latest victim was 24 years old, an avid surfer taking advantage of the clearwater and great waves. just 100 yards offshore, he was attacked by a great white shark believed to be as large as this one, 15 feet long. >> riding on a jet ski, in front of us, attacked by a shark. took my mate to the shore, went straight out. there was blood everywhere. >> the shark was still there. >> a massive, massive white shark circling the body, the hal

and imagine a train that could what may have caused the accident with kerry kennedy. e was arrested after an accident along a highway in north castle, new york. investigators are awaiting lab test results to see if prescription pills are behind the crash, but as jonathan dienst reports now, those close to kennedy are wondering whether a seizure may have played a role. >> reporter: investigators say after the crash, kerry kennedy spoke of taking ambien, a strong prescription drug. the sleep aid even carries warnings to not drive after taking it as well as the possibility of a side effect where users engage in activities like driving without being fully awake. >> it looks like they're drunk, but they're not. it's ambien affecting a certain percentage of people in this way, which i term ambien zombies. people drive without absolutely any memory of doing it. >> reporter: one source close to kennedy are looking into whether the mother of three had a seizure and if that could be a cause of the accident. her spokesman has said preliminary hospital tests showed no drugs or al

kerry kennedy, arrested and charged with driving while impaired. it happened here friday morning, on a highway just north of new york city. police say she was driving erratically. then, collided with a tractor-trailer. then, left the scene of the accident. police found her parked on the interstate, passed out behind the wheel of her lexus. abc news has learned she had taken an ambien that morning. kerry kennedy voluntarily took breathalyzer and blood tests. no alcohol was in her system. kennedy is the daughter of robert kennedy. and has three kids with her ex-husband, new york governor, andrew cuomo. that marriage ended bitterly in 2005. she has no known history of substance abuse. but many of her siblings have battled drug and alcohol issues. in may 2006, her cousin and senator of rhode island, patrick kennedy, crashed into a barrier on capitol hill, saying he was disoriented after taking ambien. doctors say driving after taking ambien can be dangerous. >> i see it all the time. they can do things. be able to drive. be able to walk. be able to hav

that came about your cousin kerry kennedy. there's been lots of newspaper coverage. when they're involved in this kind of thing. i'm sure you get sick and tired of reading about the curse of the kennedys and so on. what can you tell me about what happened to her? >> women, piers, as you know, something very similar happened to me when i was in congress many years ago. i was arrested for a dwi because i was under the influence of ambien and feneregen because i had an upset stomach. i was using the ambien to help me with my sleep because i was trying to live without opiotes. when i initially thought i was treating my own addiction through things that i didn't consider to be drugs. this was a prescription, by the way. so i thought, hey, this is all right. i found i got into a lot of trouble. and it wasn't the alcohol or the opiates which i had used previously that got me behind a wheel and driving while intoxicated. it was ambien. so i can't tell you for certain what happened to kerry. i can tell you, in my own circumstance, i was lucky to get mental health treatment for

once again, savannah. >>> kerry kennedy speaking out about the crash on a highway that led to her arrest. following her arraignment kennedy blamed her erratic driving on a partial seizure. craig melvin has details on this story. good morning. >> reporter: savannah, good morning to you. kerry kennedy was arrested, police say, after they found her slumped over the steering wheel in her white lexus suv. this morning behavior before and after the accident, she says is caused by a previously unknown medical condition. >> i have never had any history of drug or alcohol abuse. >> reporter: tuesday kerry kennedy pled not guilty to driving while impaired. according to the police report, she was swaying, slurring her speech and she couldn't stand on one leg when she was arrested last week. >> i remember getting on the highway, then i have no memory until i was stopped at a traffic light and a police officer was at my door. >> reporter: frantic 911 callers north of new york city complained about someone driving erratically then leaving the scene of an accident. kennedy had slammed into a tractor-tr

kerry kennedy fights back against the charges she was driving under the influence. >>> breakthrough.big new diet drug about to hit your local drugstore, promising a lot of weight loss fast. dr. richard besser is here. >>> and great catch. a little girl falls 30 feet as a quick-thinking stranger leaps into action and saves her life.

in a statement to nbc news, a kennedy spokesperson disputes the charges saying kerry kennedy voluntarilyine tests, all of which showed no drugs or alcohol whatsoever in her system. the charges were filed before the test results were available. those test results, according to kennedy's attorney, were provided by the hospital but sources familiar with the case tell nbc news blood and urine tests were also sent to a police lab and it could take several days for results to come back to show any proof of drugs in her system. in may kennedy gave an emotional speech following the suicide of mary kennedy, her lifelong friend and brother rob are the f. kennedy, jr.'s estranged wife. >> mary was my best, best friend. >> reporter: kennedy's attorney tells nbc news she was shaken by the accident but didn't sustain any injuries and is doing okay. for "today," michelle franzen, nbc news, new york. >> now here's lester. >> tamron, thanks. now to a hollywood tragedy. the 26-year-old son of actor sylvester stallone is dead. authorities are looking into what happened. >> reporter: sylvester stallone is f

kerry kennedy, ex-wife of new york governor andrew cuomo, was arrested over the weekend. was involved in a hit and run when her 2008 lux sus struck a tractor trailer on friday morning. police say she drove away and was found behind the wheel of her damaged suv.

police tell our fox affiliate in new york they charged kerry kennedy while driving while on drugs and found her behind the wheel of a broken down lexus this morning after 911 calls reported somebody drivinger erratically north of new york city. kerry kennedy is the ex-wife of governor andrew cuomo and the daughter of the late senator robert f. kennedy. he and her uncle were both assassinated in the 1960s. this brush with the law comes after mary kennedy killed herself earlier this year. now, to the storms hammering parts of the south. torrential rains triggered heavy floods. that trapped some kids and grown-ups at a summer camp for several hours. here is a look at the scene in houston, texas yesterday. floodwaters completely surrounded that summer camp. rescuers used air bucks to rescue folks stuck inside the building. some communities got nearly a foot of rain in just 24 hours. leaving scenes like this across several neighborhoods near houston. meantime, drought conditions continue in much of the midwest. the u.s. department of agriculture has declared parts of 26 states disaster are

kerry kennedy, ex-wife of new york

kerry kennedy, daughter of the late senator robert f. kennedy and ex-wife of new york governor andrew cuomo, is expected to appear in court in north castle new york. kennedy was arrested friday morning after the car she was driving collided with a tractor-trailer on a freeway. she is charged with driving while impaired by drugs. >>> actress jada pinkett-smith will lend some star power to a senate formal relations committee on human trafficking. the actress and activist founded the organization "don't sell bodies." >>> and happy birthday to comedic legend phyllis diller. she turns 95 today. >>> all day long you can stay on top of the very latest developments in those stories and more as they break on msnbc. and tonight be sure to watch brian williams with "nbc nightly news." >>> and, finally, here's a look at what's coming up later this morning on the "today" show. an exclusive interview with the photographer who took that washington proposal shot we told you about. and musical legend elton john opens up to matt sharing his personal memoi

kerry kennedy the daughter of robert kennedy, this morning after pleading not guilty w we hear her own explanation. it wasn't the ambien but a seizure. >> i want to apologize to the driver of the truck who i ape parentally hit and to all of those endangered while driving my car last friday morning. >> reporter: her first words an apology to the truck drivers and the others on highway. she was later found having exited the highway and slumped over the wheel. the truck driver describing what he saw. >> i was worried about her hitting somebody else. and she also hit about five cars when she got off the exit. >> reporter: when police discovered kennedy, they said that her speech was slurred and her explanation at the time was a possible medical mix-up that she might have taken ambien instead of her thyroid medication that morning. after pleading not guilty she broke her silence. >> i remember, getting on the highway and then i have no memory until i was stopped at a traffic light and a police officer was at my car door. >> reporter: kennedy said that she underwent urine and blood tests whi

initially kerry kennedy said friday's crash happened after she accidentally took an ambien pill instead of a thyroid pill. but now she says she suffered a seizure and doesn't remember anything the moments leading up to the wreck. >>> it looks like we're going there. possibly, triple digits again. >> tom kierein is here to tell us more about this bad news we're going to have to endure today. >> it was so hot yesterday afternoon i couldn't even finish my tweets. i got halfway -- >> just gave out. >> right. >> oh, man. >> boy, it's another -- today, though, unlike yesterday, going to be even more humid. so it's going to feel even hotter. we did get to 100 yesterday. and right now we've got more humidity in the air. but it's pleasant. this is going to be the most comfortable part of the day over the next couple of hour or so. we're in the 70s most of the region. near 80 in washington. by the tidal potomac and around the bay. but most locations are in the low to mid 70s. that includes montgomery, prince george's, arlington and fairfax counties. and all of these counties in orange are under a

. >>> and we have an update for you now on the dangerous driving by kerry kennedy on a highway, which with her slumped over the wheel of the car, as if asleep. toxicology tests showed today kennedy had a powerful sleep aid in her system, a generic version of the drug ambien. that was when she sideswiped a tractor trailer. her doctors claimed she had a seizure. kennedy believes she may have mixed up her medications, taking a sleep aid instead of her thyroid pill. >>> and, it is official, the woman seen with the 28-year-old dictator of the most secretive nation in the world, north korea, turns out to be his wife. today, north korean officials revealed she is, quote, comrade ri sol ju, that's all we know about her. how long they've been married, still a secret. >>> and talk about ferris bueller on jet fuel? an 11-year-old decides to go on a romp. he didn't have a ticket or a passport. so, how did little liam corcoran make it all the way from england to italy, no questions asked, all despite the beefed up security for the olympics? well, on the plane, he was chatty and told fellow passeng