SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Neighbors say the culprit in a rock attack in an Ocean Beach backyard has come forward, claiming a mix of Ambien and wine led to the attack.
The incident unfolded past 11 p.m. last Wednesday, just off Greene Street.
"It sounded like an explosion in my neighbor's yard," said Shawna Stark.
Stark says her neighbors, members of the rock band Planet Shred, were wrapping up a rehearsal in their studio when two of the band's friends raced into the studio from the yard, saying two softball-sized rocks nearly hit them.
RELATED: OB 'Rock attack' in backyard caught on video
"It was thrown like a pitch ... thrown hard, meant to do pain to something," said drummer Scott Bishop.
Surveillance video shows the culprit walking up to the fence with the rocks. When the motion activated lights come on, the person hops off the fence after firing the rocks and runs off. Stark says days later, a neighbor, a young mother of a toddler, came to her and her neighbors and confessed.
"She says, 'Omigosh, it was me. I thought it was dream, and I then I saw it on Facebook,'" said Stark.
Stark says the woman, who has complained of noise before, claimed she mixed wine and Ambien and went to sleep.
"She said she remembers doing it in her dream, throwing the rock," said Stark.
It's not the first time Ambien has made headlines. Roseanne blamed her recent controversy on "Ambien tweeting."
More than a decade ago, the FDA ordered stronger warning labels, amid a spate of unusual side effects while asleep, including sleepwalking, driving, binge eating and making phone calls.
The "Ambien Defense" has been successfully used in various cases, ranging from car accidents to shootings.
As for the Ocean Beach case, the band members tell 10News they never finished a police report and won't be pushing for charges.
"You're walking around the block intentionally and holding rocks ... I've never heard of "sleep running." It's hard to believe. I did tell her she needs to address the issue. She says she flushed the Ambien down the toilet," said Stark.
One of the band members told 10News he's not sure if he believes her, but does know other people who have sleepwalked on Ambien.
Ambien has blamed many of the side effects on taking too many pills or mixing them with alcohol or other drugs.
