James Dorsey’s lawyer told a state jury this morning that what happened on Farrington Highway on Sept. 13, 2011, was the result of a "perfect storm of circumstances" and that Dorsey is not criminally responsible for the death of Honolulu police officer Eric Fontes.

Dorsey, 22, is on trial for negligent homicide.

Carmel Kwock told the jury in opening statements that Dorsey fell asleep behind the wheel of his vehicle.

Prosecutor Kristine Yoo told the jury that Fontes’s death was avoidable. She said Dorsey knew he was falling asleep behind the wheel of his pickup truck but kept driving.

Fontes, 45, was at a traffic stop with four other officers just before the Ko Olina off ramp when Dorsey’s truck hit him.

Police say the truck took an improbable path between a line of police cars and the concrete median, and past other officers before hitting Fontes. Dorsey’s truck also hit a police vehicle which in turn struck and injured another police officer.