'I fell asleep': Driver who dragged cyclist underneath van said he 'passes out randomly and wakes up in different places,' police say

An Arizona antheral who reportedly told a justice that helium "fell asleep" portion driving and struck a cyclist successful a fatal hit-and-run was allegedly precocious connected fentanyl astatine the time.

Eric Hodge, 46, is being held connected $750,000 currency bail astatine the Maricopa County Jail aft helium made his first tribunal appearance connected Monday. He was charged with reckless manslaughter and different felonies successful transportation with the hit-and-run decease of 26-year-old Hannah Henry connected Sunday. According to tribunal documents obtained by section CBS affiliate KPHO, Henry was riding her motorcycle adjacent the intersection of Central Avenue and Elwood Street successful Phoenix erstwhile Hodge allegedly veered into the motorcycle lane, striking Henry from down and moving implicit her earlier continuing to drive.

Police said Hodge admitted to smoking fentanyl soon earlier helium got down the instrumentality and buying much drugs aft the incident.

Police said the van Hodge was driving was caught connected postulation cameras and traced to a residence. The idiosyncratic who was registered arsenic the proprietor of the van opened the doorway for constabulary officers and confirmed to them that Hodge had been driving the van. When the van's proprietor called to Hodge to travel to the beforehand door, Hodge allegedly left the home done the backmost door. Officers caught up to him rapidly and brought him successful for questioning.

According to the tribunal documents, Hodge admitted to smoking fentanyl earlier helium got successful the van that morning. He told constabulary that "when helium smokes fentanyl, helium passes retired randomly and wakes up successful antithetic places." While helium recalled seeing "a miss connected a 10-speed bicycle" portion helium was driving, helium said helium thought helium deed a occurrence hydrant. After hitting what helium believed to beryllium a occurrence hydrant, helium met with idiosyncratic to bargain $100 of fentanyl.

Police said they recovered cause paraphernalia successful Hodge's pockets aft they brought him in.

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KPHO reported that Henry, a erstwhile triathlete, was recovered by archetypal responders successful captious information with superior injuries. She was pronounced dormant astatine the scene.

During his tribunal appearance, Hodge told the judge, "I didn't cognize that I deed anybody. I fell asleep, and erstwhile I woke up, I was disconnected the roadworthy a small bit."

State authoritative Stephen Garcia called Hodge a "danger to the community." The justice seemed to agree, and acceptable Hodge's bail astatine $750,000 cash.

Hodge was charged with reckless manslaughter, leaving the country of a deadly crash, possession of cause paraphernalia, and possession of narcotic drugs. His adjacent tribunal day was scheduled for Feb. 13.