SAN DIEGO -- A woman accused of pitching a car jack through a closed vehicle window and into the lap of an 11-year-old girl in an alleged freeway road-rage incident pleaded not guilty Wednesday to assault, drunken driving and other charges.

Vivian Thai Nguyen, 23, is charged with assault with a deadly weapon by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury and felony vandalism, 10News reported.

She also faces misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with a measurable blood-alcohol level within 10 years of a prior conviction and driving with a suspended license.

Nguyen, who was on probation for a DUI conviction in 2003 when arrested, faces five years in prison if convicted on the assault charge, Deputy District Attorney Keith Watanabe said outside court.

Judge Runston Maino ordered Nguyen back to court on Oct. 5