Ex-Miss USA Rima Fakih appears in Michigan court on DUI charge

HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. – Former Miss USA, Rima Fakih, appeared in a Detroit-area courtroom on Wednesday for an initial appearance in a drunken driving case.

The former Miss USA was arrested last year December 3, when a Highland Park police officer observed her driving a black 2011 Jaguar XJR at high speed in the area of 6 Mile and Woodward. Fakih was asked to submit to a breath test after being pulled over which revealed her blood alcohol level at 0.19, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08.

26-year-old Fakih appeared in the 30^th District Court with her attorney, W. Otis Culpepper who will prepare for a trial. She stood quietly next to her attorney as Judge Brigette Officer set a bench date for March 14. This was Fakih’s first court appearance since the December 3 traffic stop.

Fakih faces up to 93 days in jail along with fines if convicted, but lawyers said her drunken driving case could be resolved with a plea deal. Her lawyer also knows that a plea bargain is possible and anticipates that a “proper conclusion” will be reached.

“Of course she’s remorseful,” Culpepper said. “She’s a model for young women. … She’s a woman of substantial character.”

Culpepper also said that he is going to work to make sure Fakih’s rights are guaranteed. “You never want to discount the possibility of negotiation, but it that does not work out to her advantage, a trial is not something we are afraid of,” Culpepper said.

Fakih was approached by reporters outside court, “I apologize. My lawyer doesn’t want me to talk,” she told them.

Fakih was born in Lebanon and moved to the U.S. in 1993 with her family. She grew up in Dearborn and won the Miss USA title in 2010 and served until June 2011. She was the first Miss Michigan to win the title since 1993 and the first Arab-American winner ever. Supporters described her win as a victory for diversity, saying it countered negative stereotypes about people of Middle Eastern descent that have flourished in post-9/11 America.

Culpepper said she is seeking work and is an aspiring actress.