Jack Nicholson had a near death experience with Ambien

Washington, Jan 24 : American actor Jack Nicholson revealed how he once escaped death while using Ambien sleeping pills, which had reportedly been prescribed to recently deceased actor, Heath Ledger.

The 70-year-old actor stated that he had once tried the sleeping aid several years ago, but the experience he got from it left him so shaken, that he has been warning his pals off the drug ever since.

"I warn people about Ambien. "I almost drove off a cliff once. I don't take sleeping pills but somebody said, 'Take this, it's mild'. "I got a call in the middle of the night, kind of an emergency, and I almost drove off a cliff 50 yards from my house, and I live up in the mountains in Aspen (Colorado). So I warn people about it. But I also did not know Mr Ledger," Contactmusic quoted him as saying.

Ledger, who was 28-year-old Australian actor, was found dead in the bedroom of his New York home on Tuesday (22Jan08) afternoon.

An autopsy carried out on Wednesday (23Jan08) failed to reveal how the Brokeback Mountain star had died.

Police believe his death is drug-related as sleeping pills were found by his bed. However, no illegal drugs were found.

ANI