Texas Oil Executive Once Wed to President Bush's Sister-in-law Faces Drug Charge

Maria Bush, Ashley Bush, and Neil Bush

2 March 2 2008

HOUSTON - An oil field contractor once married to a sister-in-law of President Bush faces a drug charge after a young woman died of an overdose of cocaine she took at his town house.

Robert Pace Andrews, 52, is charged with felony possession of a controlled substance. If convicted, he could face up to two years behind bars.

He was charged Feb. 22. Andrews' lawyer, Dee McWilliams, said his client was in China on business and had not been arrested, the Houston Chronicle reported in Sunday's editions.

Andrews owns the Houston-based oil industry contractor Andrews Technologies Inc. His former wife, Maria Bush, is now married to Neil Bush, brother of President George W. Bush and son of former President George H.W. Bush.

According to police records, Andrews called 911 on Nov. 2 to report a 19-year-old nightclub dancer had lost consciousness after taking cocaine at his home. The woman died the next day at a hospital; her death was ruled an accident.

Court documents say that Andrews allowed police to search the house and that they found a spoon that tested positive for traces of cocaine.

McWilliams said he was "cautiously optimistic" the criminal case would be resolved swiftly.