“Real Housewives of Potomac” star Karen Huger was found guilty of driving under the influence and negligent driving charges, months after she was arrested following a car crash in March.
A Maryland jury also found the Bravo personality guilty Wednesday of failing to control speed to avoid a collision and failing to notify authorities of a change of direction, following a trial this week, The Times confirmed. Huger was found not guilty of reckless driving.
In a statement shared with The Times, Maryland State Attorney John McCarthy said driving under the influence is “extremely dangerous behavior.”
“We process thousands of DUI cases each year and we take them seriously. “This defendant’s case was not handled any differently based on the facts and her traffic history,” McCarthy added. “We encourage the public to always drive sober and practice road safety.”
The 61-year-old reality TV star could face up to two years in prison.
Huger's attorney, A. Scott Bolden, told People in a statement that they were “disappointed” by the verdict but “of course, respect his decision and appreciate his time hearing our case.”
A legal representative for Huger did not immediately respond to The Times' request for comment Thursday.
Maryland police arrested Huger on March 19 after officers responded to the scene of a single-vehicle collision in Potomac at approximately 11:50 p.m. local time, the Montgomery County Police Department confirmed to The Times. Huger allegedly crossed a median and crashed into street signs, crashing his Maserati.
She was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and other traffic violations and was later released from police custody. Shortly after his arrest, Huger attributed the accident to grief and the death of his mother in 2017. “The grief comes and goes in waves, and as Mother's Day approaches, it feels more like a tsunami,” he said. then.
Huger told TMZ that the accident occurred after she and a friend discussed “emotionally sensitive topics” over dinner and that she became overwhelmed with emotions on the drive home. In his March statement, Huger alleged that he saw another vehicle “heading directly at me” and that he had swerved to avoid an accident. He said he crashed into the wall and then into a tree.
This week's trial included witness testimony and police body camera video, reviewed by The Times, showing Huger shortly after the car crash. In the video she can be seen refusing to hand over her driver's license, appearing to slur her words and asking the officers to take their hands off her and leave her alone. In other footage, she requests that an officer turn off his body camera.
Huger's sentencing is tentatively set for January 29, 2025.
