“The Real Housewives of Potomac” star Karen Huger — nicknamed “the Grande Dame” on the Bravo show — has been sentenced to a year in jail as a result of a March 19, 2024 DUI arrest, FOX 5 DC reports. After she is released, she’s not allowed to drive a vehicle for another year, and will also face five years of probation.
The Montgomery County, Maryland judge in the case sentenced Huger to two years with one year suspended, stating that, “You were filled to the gills with alcohol.” It was Huger’s fourth drinking-and-driving related arrest in 17 years.
During the 2024 incident, Huger crashed her Maserati into a pole in Potomac. Police body camera footage was shown during the trial — and later was released to news outlets, and was shown on Bravo as well — which showed the “Real Housewives” star appearing to slur and be very intoxicated, all while speaking at length about the show and producer Andy Cohen to the arresting officer, who was not interested.
She was found guilty in December of five of the six charges, including driving under the influence and negligent driving. Huger was acquitted of reckless driving.
Huger was absent from the Season 9 multi-episode “Potomac” reunion, which was filmed on Jan. 9 — she was in a rehabilitation center following the verdict, which many of her co-stars said they considered to be a play for sympathy before the sentencing. She sent in a video message instead.
Throughout the show’s ninth season, Huger filmed shortly after her arrest in March, she proclaimed she would be exonerated at trial. During the reunion, her castmates said they felt they had been duped.
The day after the crash, Huger released a lengthy statement to TMZ, which read, “Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes during this very frightening experience. I am still in shock from last nights incident, but grateful to be alive today. With the passing of my Beloved Mother, Grief comes and goes in waves, and with Mothers Day approaching it has felt more like a tsunami.
“Last night I met a girlfriend for dinner, we talked and brought up some very emotionally sensitive topics. I was crying on my way home and saw a car heading right for me. I swerved to avoid the head-on collision, hit the divider and then a tree. I’m hurt, bruised up a bit, but so grateful I am alive! I did receive citations, one of which was unrelated to the incident which is understandable, but what was most surprising is that the car that almost hit me just drove away!
“I would like to stress, it’s important to understand your emotional state when driving and may this be a reminder to all to use their seatbelts, my Mother may be my Guardian Angel but the seatbelt saved my life.”
Kate Aurthur contributed to this report.
