New York Lawmaker Who Warned Against Drunk Driving Pleads Guilty To Impaired Driving
NBC says that a former New York state Assemblyman plead guilty Monday to driving while impaired. What makes this somewhat strange is not only did the politician initially blame his own wife for the incident, but he had just penned a column in the paper warned against the dangers of drunk driving just a week earlier. However, WHEC reports that he was able to escape a more serious charge over a technicality.
Police say the Victor, NY man was behind the wheel of his state-issued Acadia New Year's Eve 2019, when it went off the driveway and fell down an embankment. An Ontario County sheriff’s deputy said he blew a 0.16%, which is double the state's legal limit. Court papers said he later admitted to drinking four or five cocktails at a restaurant in Pittsford earlier that night Court documents from January 2020 said he had actually blamed his wife for the crash, and even told a witness:
You know how women drive.
The witness told the court that he didn't see anyone else in the crashed vehicle at the time. He went on to say that the the lawmaker's wife was actually in up in the house when this all happened. That's awkward. NBC says that he later stepped down as the leader of the Assembly's Republican minority four days later.
With the colder months now here, some may seek some extra warmth by consuming an extra drink or two during dinner. This can lead to problems if you're planning on driving later that day or night. In January, a New York State man lost control of his vehicle, went off the road, and barreled straight through an apple orchard. WROC says this impromptu off-road excursion left numerous apple trees damaged or destroyed. Officials say because the passengers in the vehicle with him were 10, 11, and 12 years-old, that the suspect will face even more charges. Luckily, none of the kids were hurt.