Joe Simpson says he is not guilty of driving under the influence. The father of Ashlee and Jessica Simpson entered his plea to two counts of DUI in court Thursday.
Joe was arrested on August 4 in Sherman, Oaks, Calif.
After he was pulled over and officers believed he was intoxicated, he was detained overnight at Valley jail in Van Nuys before being released on $5,000 bail.
The grandfather of Maxwell Drew Johnson had his lawyer enter his not guilty plea on his behalf Thursday, and a pretrial hearing has been set for October 11.
The former minister could face a maximum penalty of six months in jail, three years of probation and a $1,000 fine if convicted, though that’s unlikely.
Nevertheless, “Joe’s arrest absolutely shocked his family,” a family source said. “Anytime he’s in the news, it directly reflects upon Jessica and Ashlee.”