Whitehouse's son pleads no contest

NEWPORT, R.I. (WPRI/AP) - The son of a U.S. Rhode Island Senator was arraigned on a drunk driving charge in Newport District Court.

Alexander Whitehouse, 19, pleaded no contest.

Judge Colleen Hastings sentenced him to 30 hours of community service, an educational course on drunken driving and a $250 fine. His license will be suspended for three months.

Outside court, the senator said his son had accepted responsibility for his actions and that the legal process was now complete.

"Alexander is going to have to face the family consequences for his actions. We hope, as parents who love him, that these serious events provide him a lifelong lesson," he said.

Whitehouse, of Newport, was arrested by Middletown Police early Wednesday morning in a 7/11 parking lot after admitting to having drunk three Bud Light beers and four shots of a gin at a friend's house.

• Related: Sen. Whitehouse's son charged with drunk driving

He failed a field sobriety exam on scene then was handcuffed and brought to the Middletown police station where police say he blew a .09 on a Breathalyzer test. The legal limit in Rhode Island is .08.

Lawyer Kevin Bristow said his client received a sentence of three times the minimum mandatory for such an offense, 10 hours of community service and a 30-day license suspension.

"Honestly, it's significantly more. I think that the Whitehouse's goal here was to make sure that Alexander understood what went on, to make sure that he accepted responsibility and to have him punished adequately and directly," he said. "They don't want to prolong this. They have no reason to prolong this."

The passenger, Robert Bauer, 18, of Portsmouth, was charged with possession of marijuana and minor in possession and consumption of alcohol.

Middletown Police Chief Anthony Pesare said they are investigating where the alcohol came from in this case.

On Wednesday, the Executive Director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) said she was disappointed to learn of U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse's son's DUI charge.

• Related: MADD reacts to Whitehouse's son's DUI

MADD is asking all parents to talk with their children about the dangers of drinking and driving.

"You have a limited amount of control, but you have a great amount of influence," said Abbate. "You keep pounding home the message."

In June, Whitehouse was questioned by police in connection with an underage drinking incident at Governor Chafee's estate. That case is still under investigation.