Washington ? Rep. Patrick Kennedy crashed his car early Thursday near the Capitol, and a police official said he appeared to be 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, an inflammation of the stomach and intestines.