Drunk Mom Arrested for DWI After Shopping for Steaks

On July 28, 2025 around 8:10 PM, Patrolman Christian Albanese with the Westfield Police Department was dispatched to the area of Lawrence Avenue and Munsee Way on a report of a Land Rover that was “driving all over the road.” Dispatch then received an additional call regarding a female who was asleep behind the wheel of a Land Rover in the area of Munsee Way and Ramapo Way. As he arrived at that location, he was flagged down by a driver who pointed towards a red 2024 Land Rover in the area of Munsee Way and Minisink Way. Patrolman Albanese then initiated a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, who was identified as Paige Koff.

As he was speaking with Paige, he detected the odor of alcohol and observed other indicators of impairment. Paige had trouble locating all her documents, and told the officer that she had gone shopping to buy steaks for dinner. Based on her indicators of impairment, she was asked to exit the vehicle and perform field sobriety exercises after Officer Sivetz, Officer Bagan, and Sergeant Gill arrived on scene to assist.

Officer Bagan started with the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test. The second exercise was the Walk and Turn test. During the Walk and Turn test, Paige failed to touch heel-to-toe on each step and did not count in the correct sequence. The final exercise was the One Leg Stand test. During the One Leg Stand test, Paige failed to raise her foot in the proper fashion and displayed a lack of balance.

Following the field sobriety exercises, Paige was placed under arrest for operating under the influence. Her vehicle was impounded by for a mandatory 12-hour hold under John’s Law. Paige was transported to the Westfield for further processing.

At the station, Sergeant Koff read her the Standard Statement for Motor Vehicle Operators, but she refused to submit breath samples. During processing, she admitted to consuming a glass of wine in Montville earlier that day. Once they finished processing her, Paige was eventually released to her husband pending her court appearance after he signed the Potential Liability Warning form on Paige’s behalf.

Paige was issued the following citations:

-Operating under the influence (39:4-50)

-Reckless driving (39:4-97)

-Careless driving (39:4-97)

-Refusal to submit to chemical test (39:4-50.4A)

-Consent to take samples of breath (39:4-50.2)

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