The Real Housewives of Potomac star Karen Huger has been convicted of driving under the influence. Now, the 61-year-old reality star could face a sentence of up to two years in prison.
Huger, who’s starred on the Bravo franchise since 2016, was found guilty on Wednesday (December 18) on five out of six charges related to her March car crash in Potomac, Maryland. According to Fox 5 DC, she was convicted of driving under the influence (DUI), negligent driving, failure to control speed to avoid a collision, and failure to notify authorities of an address change. Huger was acquitted of reckless driving.
The reality star has a sentencing hearing scheduled for January 29.
In a statement, Huger’s attorney A. Scott Bolden said they were “disappointed in the jury’s verdict” but “respect their decision and appreciate their time hearing our case.”
“We continue to reserve Mrs. Huger’s right to an appeal and intend to fully pursue justice on her behalf. We appreciate your support and prayers for Mrs. Huger and her family at this time.”
On March 19, Huger totaled her 2017 Maserati after she struck a median and a crosswalk sign at an intersection before colliding with a tree. While she wasn’t arrested at the time of the crash, Huger received six traffic violations, including negligent and reckless driving, speeding, and driving with a suspended registration.
During the two-day trial, an emergency medical technician (EMT) testified that Huger was “swaying on her feet, refused treatment, and verbally lashed out at first responders” after the accident. Body camera footage shown during the trial saw Huger “slurring her speech and cursing at officers, refusing a breathalyzer, and declining to take a field sobriety test,” per Fox 5 DC.
In the footage, Huger admitted to having “a couple of beers” before getting behind the wheel.
Huger, whose parents died within months of each other in 2017, previously explained to TMZ that she was having dinner with a friend, during which they “brought up some very emotionally sensitive topics” and she was experiencing a moment of grief at the time of the crash. The reality star’s cousin testified during the trial that Huger was emotionally distressed but did not sound impaired when they spoke on the phone shortly before the crash.
In the state of Maryland, first-time offenders convicted of a DUI face up to a $1,000 fine and up to one year in jail. For a second offense, drivers face a $2,000 fine and up to two years imprisonment.
Huger previously admitted on The Real Housewives of Potomac that she had pleaded guilty to a past driving while impaired (DWI) charge. Speaking to BOSSIP in 2016, she said she was arrested 10 years prior for drunk driving and received probation.
“I pulled over,” Huger said at the time. “Technically I wasn’t driving, I was pulled over into a parked area where you should not park. I turned off the car and I called my husband. However, the teddy bear cops found me first, and I collected my DUI.”
Huger has appeared on The Real Housewives of Potomac since its premiere on Bravo in 2016. She has been married to former IBM executive Raymond A. Huger for nearly 30 years and they share a 27-year-old daughter, Rayvin Huger. The Bravo star is also a mother to a son, Brandon, from her previous marriage.
Her March car crash has been a central storyline throughout season nine of The Real Housewives of Potomac, which airs Sunday on Bravo at 8 p.m. ET.
