Police officer gets six months for sexual assault on car accident victim

The former trooper drove a woman away from the scene of a car accident and threatened to take her to jail if she didn't have sex with him

Samuel McHenry II, 36, originally faced charges of rape and sodomy, but they were dismissed as part of the plea agreement he filed (Butler County Sheriff's Office)

An Alabama state trooper accused of raping a woman while he was on duty was sentenced to six months jail after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour sexual misconduct charge on Thursday.

Samuel McHenry II, 36, originally faced charges of rape and sodomy, but they were dismissed as part of the plea agreement he filed.

McHenry's state certification will be revoked and he will have to register as a sex offender, according to the plea agreement.

The former trooper drove a woman away from the scene of a car accident on 6 December and threatened to take her to jail if she didn't have sex with him, WVTM reported.

He made the demands after finding pill bottles and an empty nasal spray bottle in her car, investigators said.

After having sex with her, he drove her to a closed store, let her out and drove off, they added.

McHenry was ordered to pay court costs, fines and crime victims' compensation fees.

He will be permitted to serve his 182 day sentence "in increments at his own discretion," though all must be served within the next year.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press