Prosecutors Reveal This Is Karen Huger’s 4th DUI and Call Her Rehab Stint a Scam!
Prosecutors are coming down hard on Real Housewives of Potomac star Karen Huger, confirming this is her fourth DUI and accusing her of using rehab as a cover-up rather than a real attempt at recovery.
Karen Huger is set to return to Montgomery County Circuit Court on February 26, where she faces sentencing following her latest DUI conviction. While her defense team argues that she is committed to change, prosecutors paint a different picture — one of a repeat offender who has failed to learn from past mistakes.
Prosecutor Calls Out Karen’s History of DUIs
Karen Huger, 61, was found guilty of driving under the influence, failure to control her speed, and other charges in connection to a March 2024 crash. But according to Montgomery County prosecutor Jordan Kramer, this isn’t her first run-in with the law when it comes to drinking and driving.
“The fact that Ms. Huger has repeatedly been given the benefit of another chance on three separate occasions demonstrates that she has not learned anything from her prior arrests,” Kramer wrote in a recent court filing. “In fact, it appears as if she has been emboldened.”
Court records show that between 2006 and 2011, Karen had three alcohol-related traffic cases, including guilty findings for driving while impaired and driving under the influence. Despite these past convictions, she never served jail time. Now, Kramer is pushing for a harsher sentence, arguing that Huger’s repeated offenses put lives at risk.
“Ms. Huger is extremely lucky that neither she nor anyone else was seriously injured or even killed,” Kramer stated, referring to the March incident where Huger veered off the road, crashed into a pedestrian crossing sign, and struck another street sign before coming to a stop.
Karen’s Defense: Rehab and a “Wake-Up Call”
In contrast, Karen attorney, David Martella, is advocating for a more lenient sentence, emphasizing his client’s efforts to address her issues.
“She was shocked with embarrassment,” Martella wrote in a recent filing, referring to the public scrutiny surrounding her trial. “She could not turn off the testimony or the body cameras. She could not get up and walk out of the room. … The trial was a wake-up call.”
Following her guilty verdict, Karen checked into a 28-day treatment program in Florida, where she sought help for alcohol abuse, antidepressant dependency, and unresolved trauma from a sexual assault she suffered in college.
Since returning home, Martella claims, she has remained committed to her recovery, attending daily Alcoholics Anonymous meetings with a local support group.
Prosecutor Criticizes Karen’s “Luxury” Rehab Choice
Despite Karen’s attempts to demonstrate personal growth, prosecutors are skeptical of her motives. Kramer questioned the timing of her rehabilitation, noting that she only entered treatment after being convicted.
“The State is concerned that the program that Ms. Huger did choose to enroll in equates itself to a luxury resort experience,” Kramer wrote, highlighting the facility’s spa services, chef-prepared meals, equine therapy, and organic recovery garden.
The March 2024 Crash and Karen’s Initial Denial
Karen’s latest DUI stemmed from a late-night accident on March 19, just three miles from her home. According to court documents, she had met a friend for dinner, where she drank champagne before getting behind the wheel.
As she drove home, her vehicle veered left onto a center median, running over a pedestrian crossing sign before swerving right and crashing into another street sign. Her car’s front end was destroyed, and airbags deployed.
Body camera footage, which later aired on The Real Housewives of Potomac, showed a visibly intoxicated Karen slurring her words and stumbling. At one point, she admitted to officers, “Oh God, I’m lit.”
However, in the immediate aftermath, Karen attempted to downplay the crash, telling TMZ, “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.” Her statement notably omitted any mention of alcohol.
Months later, in an interview with E! News, she doubled down on her innocence, saying, “I’m waiting for my truth to come out.”
The Jury’s Verdict and Karen’s Response
That truth came in the form of a guilty verdict. Jurors, after reviewing body camera footage and hearing testimony from officers on the scene, concluded that Karen had been intoxicated.
“She was hammered,” Sgt. Brett Trahan testified.
Despite the evidence against her, Karen remained in denial. In a segment filmed just two days after her conviction, she was asked on RHOP if she believed she had a drinking problem.
“No. I’m not an alcoholic. Let’s be clear,” she insisted.
Her attorney later suggested that her impairment was caused by a combination of alcohol and antidepressants. Because Karen refused a Breathalyzer test at the scene, her exact blood alcohol level was never determined.
What’s Next for Karen Huger?
Karen faces up to two years in jail, though prosecutors are seeking a six-month sentence in line with Maryland’s sentencing guidelines. Her defense team, however, is pushing for a rehabilitation-focused sentence with no jail time.
Beyond her legal troubles, Karen’s future on RHOP remains uncertain. In a recent video appearance on the show, she suggested that she plans to return but with a new approach.
“I plan to be coming back as Karen Huger only,” she said. “Because Karen is enough.”
Whether Bravo producers or RHOP fans agree remains to be seen.
The Real Housewives of Potomac airs Sundays at 8/7c on Bravo.
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Avigail is an Entertainment blogger at All About The Tea, who specializes in The Real Housewives of Atlanta and The Real Housewives of Potomac. Avigail has a background in marketing. She’s a Brooklynite living in the Bahamas, with a passion for travel, writing, reality TV watching, pop culture and spoken word.