Paris Hilton pleads not guilty to drink driving
Paris Hilton tonight pleaded not guilty in the US to drink-driving charges following her arrest last year for allegedly weaving around a Hollywood street in her Mercedes-Benz.
The socialite was not required to be in court in LA. Her lawyer entered the pleas on her behalf – to one count each of driving under the influence and driving with a blood-alcohol level of .08 or above.
Judge Michael Sauer set a January 23 pre-trial hearing date and said the case must go to trial by February 23.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of six months in jail and a $1,000 (£770) fine. However, the minimum penalty for a first-time offender is a fine, probation and participation in an alcohol rehabilitation programme.
Hilton’s solicitor, Shawn Chapman, declined to speak with reporters after the hearing.
Motorcycle officers said they saw Hilton’s Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR being driven erratically and stopped it after midnight on September 7.
Hilton later said she may have been “speeding a little bit” and was on her way to get a hamburger because she had filmed a music video all day without eating.
The 25-year-old hotel heiress, singer, actress and handbag designer said she had drunk only a single margarita at a charity event that evening.
Police said she appeared intoxicated and failed a field sobriety test. Her publicist said she had a blood alcohol level of .08%.
