Real Housewives of Potomac‘s Karen Huger gave a scroll of excuses for why she made the choice to drink and drive, resulting in her 4th DUI.
In Touch obtained court documents that showed Karen’s legal team asked the Judge to give the grace with her sentencing.
According to court documents, Karen’s lawyers used her parents deaths in her defense. “Ms. Huger’s mother died on Thanksgiving morning in 2017 of kidney failure and sepsis. Her father died seven months later on June 28, 2018 from the complications of Alzheimer’s and ‘of a broken heart.”
“Those two losses, in quick succession, were personally devastating and may have been the straws that broke her back, arguably leading to several errors in judgment that led to her arrest in this case.”
Karen’s continued drinking:
“For many months, Ms. Huger was hoping to explain that she believes she drank in moderation; however, her difficulties that evening were the product of a combination of alcohol and a prescribed anti-depressant medication for depression.”
“However, Ms. Huger eventually acquiesced to the legal advice of her counsel indicating that such circumstances might be mitigation – but is not a defense. This is because the taking of such a strong anti-depressant medication can amplify the effects of alcohol on one’s coordination.”
Let’s talk about the anti-depressants:
CONTENT WARNING!
“Taking prescribed medication is not a defense to DUI. To the contrary, it is more of a reason to avoid consuming alcohol before driving.”
Karen’s lawyers said, “Ms. Huger reports she started taking the prescribed medication following her rape in college. She felt she was able to continue to drink in moderation in social settings.”
“However, over time, the loss of her parents, and the pressures of being in the public eye, continued to wear on her well-being.” She also said “the stress of providing responsible leadership on the TV show” wore on her.
“Over time the dosages of the medication went up – probably beyond prescribed recommendations, but the drinking in moderation remained the same. As she explains, ‘I was taking one pill after the assault and then I began taking two after my parents’ death. I appeared to be in control and had no noticeable issues that I was aware of.’”
Karen’s team detailed the night of her arrest in the motion:
Docs state Karen “went to dinner with a friend and had champagne with dinner.”
“In hindsight she is concerned that the medication (combined with alcohol) impaired her ability to accurately assess her coordination on March 19.”
“During the trial, she could not turn off the testimony, or the body cameras. She could not get up and walk out of the room, nor look at her phone. The trial was a wake-up call that inspired Ms. Huger to take the dramatic step of entering a 28 day in-patient rehabilitation program: Beachside in West Palm Beach.”
“The Court is probably very familiar with dual- diagnosis treatment programs. Ms. Huger refers to her time at Beachside as a triple-diagnosis program: dedicated to treating alcohol abuse; drug/medication abuse; and trauma.”
“Ms. Huger took her last dose of the anti-depressant medication on December 28, the night before she checked into her residential program. She reports that four nights later, she woke up completely drenched in sweat as she went through withdrawal,” her lawyer said.
Karen’s DUI history:
In response, the prosecutors pointed out she, “has two prior DUI/DWI convictions plus a third one that was pled down to a reckless driving.”
“Ms. Huger is extremely lucky that neither she nor anyone else was seriously injured or even killed during this incident. In spite of this, Ms. Huger does not appear to have taken any steps whatsoever to take accountability for her actions on March 19, 2024. In the nine months leading up to trial she did not enroll herself into any type of alcohol treatment program or support group.”
They tried to make me go to rehab, but I said, No, no, no:
“Instead, the Defendant spent 6 days at the Miraval Resort in Arizona in August of 2024- which her former defense attorneys depicted to the State as a ‘holistic wellness program.’ Miraval is not a rehab or counseling center of any kind and is rather quite simply a luxury spa.”
They said, “Ms. Huger then enrolled in a private recovery program at the Beachside Recovery Center in West Palm Beach, Florida in January 2025 only after being convicted for the third time of driving while impaired/under the influence. Beachside Recovery is described on its website as a ‘luxury alcohol treatment center.’”
Karen’s sentencing requests:
The prosecutors asked the court, “It is therefore the State’s recommendation that your honor sentence the Defendant to two years suspend all but 6 months of executed incarceration followed by a period of supervised probation.”
In addition, they want her to have to install a interlock device on any car she drives and complete a Mother’s Against Drunk Driving victim impact panel and submit to any additional alcohol treatment programs that the court sees fit.
Stay tuned for Karen’s official sentencing for her latest DUI later today!
