Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
GOP Assemblyman Allegedly Tried To Pin DWI On Wife: 'You Know How Women Drive'
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Jan 7, 2020
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Ontario County Sheriff's Office
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Jan 7, 2020
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
State Assemblyman Brian Kolb is all about personal responsibility—right up until he drunkenly crashes his state-owned vehicle into the bottom of a ditch.
According to newly released court documents, the high-ranking GOP lawmaker tried to pin the blame for his booze-fueled New Year's Eve ride on his wife, Lauren Marketell Kolb.
"The male stood up and put his hands up and said, 'My wife was driving!' He then said, 'You know how women drive,'" recalled Michael Scoville, a tow-truck driver who came across the aftermath of Kolb's crash, in sworn testimony. "I did not see anyone else around the vehicle. He told me that his wife was up in the house."
Inquiries to Kolb about the blame-shifting, or how it is women drive, were not returned.
Brian Kolb and wife Lauren Marketell Kolb
The tow-truck driver called the cops, who observed the 67-year-old Kolb showing "significant signs of intoxication," according to police statements. He later admitted to drinking "four or five cocktails" at the Eerie Grill in Pittsford, then driving the ten miles back to his home in Victor, New York, where the crash occurred.
Records show that Kolb blew a .16 percent on a Breathalyzer test—twice the legal limit. He was driving his 2018 GMC Acadia at the time, which was paid for by taxpayers at a cost of $43,601.
Kolb represents the the 131st district, which includes the Finger Lakes and areas south of Rochester. He'd served as the GOP Minority Leader until stepping down from the leadership post on Friday, amid growing calls for his full resignation.
As head of the Republican body, he led the fight to block undocumented immigrants from accessing driver's licenses, voted against marijuana legalization, and warned that bail reform would only embolden criminals.
After a former Rochester City Court judge was accused of missing a probation hearing for a DWI charge last year, Kolb tweeted, "What nonsense, another example of someone who is not taking responsibility for their actions." (He has since deleted his Twitter account.)
Just days before his own drunk driving arrest, the assembly leader published an op-ed urging residents to drive sober, writing, "There is no excuse for impaired driving."
In a statement last week, Kolb said he had "begun the process of seeking professional help in order to heal, learn, and fully address the challenges that I, along with my family, currently face."
There is currently no indication that he will resign.
Tagged
brian kolb
no more mister wife guy
dui
gop
Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
National Grid customers in NYC will see higher gas bills this winter
Due to higher delivery fees, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island customers will likely see their bills increase by an average of $87 this winter.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Oct 14, 2026 at 4:25 p.m. ET
Bruce Blakeman joins Gov. Hochul in support for expanding NY rape law
The Republican gubernatorial candidate and Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul both favor a change in state law.
By
Jon Campbell
News
Bruce Blakeman joins Gov. Hochul in support for expanding NY rape law
The Republican gubernatorial candidate and Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul both favor a change in state law.
By
Jon Campbell
2 men accused of stabbing off-duty NYPD detective in the Bronx plead not guilty
By
Charles Lane
and
Brittany Kriegstein
Man who pushed his baby and her mother from a Bronx balcony arraigned from psych ward
By
Brittany Kriegstein
NYC looks to grow involvement in Open Streets as applications open for 2027
By
Catalina Gonella
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .