Defense: Bellingham driver in fatal crash was sleep-deprived

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — Attorneys for a Washington man on trial for vehicular homicide say a sleep disorder, not drowsy driving, led to the fatal crash.

The Bellingham Herald reports (http://bit.ly/1Z8GI8g ) that prosecutors and defense attorneys agree that 35-year-old William Klein of Bellingham fell asleep at the wheel last June and ran into four high school boys on a Ferndale sidewalk.

The crash killed 18-year-old Shane Ormiston and 15-year-old Gabriel Anderson and seriously hurt two other boys.

Sleep disorder expert Dr. Donald Berry testified Monday that Klein has obstructive sleep apnea, wakes up 20-30 times an hour and suffers from "pathological sleepiness."

A second expert testified that people with sleep disorders often believe they are alert when their bodies need sleep. The defense says Klein didn't realize how tired he was while driving.