Former U.S. Women’s National Team captain Abby Wambach pleaded not guilty to a DUII charge Tuesday after being arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of intoxicants in Portland over the weekend.
Wambach was pulled over in downtown Portland after allegedly failing to stop for a red light. She allegedly failed sobriety tests and was booked into Multnomah County Jail before being released after processing.
On Tuesday morning, Wambach’s attorney Ben Eder entered a not guilty plea on Wambach’s behalf in the Multnomah County Circuit Court for the misdemeanor driving under the influence of intoxicants allegation. Wambach was not required to appear in court.
The 35-year-old is scheduled to return to court on April 26 for a potential change of plea.
It is virtually unheard of for defendants in Oregon to plead guilty at their first court appearances. Judges generally discourage it because they want to make sure that defendants have had time to go over the case with their attorneys to ensure that they are making an educated decision if and when they decide to enter a guilty plea.
Court records indicated that prosecutors would not oppose a diversion program for Wambach’s drunken driving case. The program allows first-time DUII offenders to avoid a conviction if they agree to listen to a presentation by victims impacted by drunk drivers, refrain from drinking for a year, possibly install an ignition-interlock device in their car and complete a drug and alcohol assessment and seek treatment, if ordered.
Wambach apologized for the incident in a Facebook post Sunday writing, “I take full responsibility for my actions.” On Monday, MINI USA announced that they were pulling ads featuring Wambach following the arrest.
Wambach, who is the all-time leading scorer in international soccer with 184 goals, announced her retirement from professional soccer last October.
— Jamie Goldberg | jgoldberg@oregonian.com
503-853-3761 | @jamiebgoldberg
