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Belle Vernon Area school director charged with DUI

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CHARLEROI – A member of Belle Vernon Area School Board is facing charges of driving under the influence.

Charleroi Regional police filed charges Wednesday against Ronald Sotta, 78, of 1305 Lincoln Ave., Washington Township, Fayette County, before District Judge Larry Hopkins, court records show.

Police pulled over the car Sotta was driving about 6 p.m. Oct. 21 after receiving a complaint he was drunk and driving a friend to his house from a disturbance in the 700 block of Fallowfield Avenue, court records indicate.

Sotta allegedly failed a field-sobriety test before he was taken to Mon Valley Hospital for a blood-alcohol test.

While Sotta was in custody, an officer reportedly asked him how drunk he was, on a scale of one to 10. Sotta replied, “Fifty,” police allege in court records.

Sotta is charged with driving under the influence at the highest level of 0.16 percent or higher, a number twice the limit at which drunken driving is presumed in Pennsylvania.

Sotta was elected to the school board in November 2013, and his name is on the ballot for re-election next month.

It was not immediately known if he had an attorney to represent him in the case. He could not be reached for comment Friday.

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