Rocker Neil to stand trial in January on drunken driving charge

Heavy-metal rocker Vince Neil learned Monday he will stand trial in January on a drunken driving charge the 49-year-old picked up in June.

Neil, who did not appear in court, entered a not guilty plea through his attorney Richard Schonfeld.

The Motley Crue frontman will stand trial Jan. 6 before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Eric Goodman. Neil remained free on $2,000 bail.

Neil was arrested about 11 p.m. June 27 after Las Vegas police pulled over the black Lamborghini sports car he was driving on Desert Inn Road, near Las Vegas Boulevard.

Authorities said Neil was driving 60 mph in a 45 mph zone and weaving between lanes when he was pulled over.

Neil told police he had three glasses of champagne and was at the Las Vegas Hilton before he was arrested, according to a police report. Neil had blood shot eyes, smelled of alcohol, was swaying and his speech was slurred, according to the report.

Neil failed several field sobriety tests and a breathalyzer test. According to the report, his blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit.

The arrest came after Neil recently said he had stopped abusing drugs and alcohol.

Neil moved to the valley in the mid-1990s and has several businesses in Las Vegas including, restaurants, tattoo shops and a charter airline service.

In December 1984, Neil was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and vehicular manslaughter after hitting an oncoming vehicle while returning to his house in Redondo Beach, Calif., after a trip to a liquor store.

The collision resulted in the death of Finnish drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley.

Neil pleaded guilty to those charges and was sentenced to 20 days in jail and ordered to pay $2.5 million in restitution.