Staff writer
A sightseeing trip last week to Elkins, W.Va, ended with Washington County Sheriff Samuel Romano's arrest for drunken driving. When word of the arrest spread Monday, Romano issued a written apology to citizens of the county.
Romano, 43, of Canton Township, spent the night in Tygart Valley Regional Jail in Belington, Randolph County, and was released Thursday morning on his own recognizance.
Tucker County Sheriff Tom Felton said the communications center in Parsons received a phone call Wednesday about a possible drunken driver.
A sheriff's deputy pulled over a black, four-door 2006 Mercedes-Benz on Route 72 at 5:15 p.m. in Hambleton, about three miles from Parsons, the county seat.
Felton identified Romano as the driver of the car registered to Angela Conner of Pennsylvania. There was a passenger in the car, but Felton said he did not have the person's identity.
A written statement Romano released Monday afternoon said he was "on vacation in Elkins, W.Va., with my fiancée. I made a poor error in judgment by having a few beers while sightseeing."
Jim D'Alessandro, chief deputy sheriff, said Romano's fiancée's name is Angie.
The deputy administered field sobriety tests to Romano, who failed them, Felton said. An Intoximeter test of Romano produced a 0.231 percent blood-alcohol content reading, nearly three times the legal limit. In West Virginia, intoxication is presumed at a blood-alcohol content of 0.08, the same as in Pennsylvania.
Romano also was issued a citation for driving left of the center line.
"The deputy told me personally he was very cooperative," Felton said. The deputy determined Romano was the Washington County sheriff, but Felton said he didn't know exactly how the topic came up.
Romano was incarcerated at 7:10 p.m. Wednesday at the Tygart Valley lockup, which serves several counties.
Clad in orange prison garb similar to garments issued at Washington County Jail, where Romano, as sheriff, is a member of the prison board, he was photographed. His mug shot appeared on the state regional jail authority's Web site during the time in which he was incarcerated.
Chris Bailey, who works at the jail authority's headquarters in Charleston, W.Va., said Romano was separated from the rest of the prisoners in accordance with standard policy when law enforcement officers are arrested.
"Because of his position, they were attempting to keep him segregated from the general population," Bailey said.
West Virginia law requires that a person who is arrested be arraigned within 24 hours. Tucker County Magistrate Riley Barb arraigned Romano by video teleconference.
"It gives them a chance to sober up," Barb said of those charged with alcohol-related offenses. "We want to make sure they understand."
Romano did not identify himself as a county sheriff during his video arraignment. Barb, however, described Romano's answers as "yes sir, no sir, totally respectful and straight to the point."
He entered no plea, but Barb said a plea hearing probably will not be scheduled for about three weeks. Barb released Romano on his own recognizance, and Romano left the regional jail at 9:30 a.m.
A misdemeanor offense of drunken driving is handled in West Virginia at the magisterial level, Barb explained. If Romano pleads guilty to the charge, the magistrate can immediately sentence him. If Romano enters a plea of not guilty, a magistrate can empanel a jury or proceed with a bench trial, depending on the defendant's preference.
A change in West Virginia law, which took effect Sunday, waived mandatory jail time, but Romano's arrest was made under the previous law, which requires a jail sentence of 24 hours to 90 days and a fine of $100 to $500.
After two calls to Romano at the Washington County sheriff's office were not returned, he issued a statement Monday afternoon:
"By no means do I feel that I am above the law in this or any other matter, nor did I ask for or was treated as such. ... I realize the severity of this matter and by no means do I take this lightly. This will not affect my performance as your sheriff, and I assure you this will not happen again.
"I would like to take this time to offer a sincere heartfelt apology to the citizens of this county. ... I sincerely regret my personal actions and take full responsibility. ... I intend to use this as an example for others that no one is above the law."
Tucker County, the third-smallest county in West Virginia with a population of 7,300, is south of the Cheat Lake area. The Cheat River runs through the county, which is mountainous, densely forested and the home of Canaan Valley and Blackwater Falls state parks. It is also the home of Kingsford Products Co., a 50-year maker of charcoal briquets.
Romano, a Democrat, was nominated in the spring of 2005, besting Chief Deputy Sheriff Bill Bryker of North Franklin Township and Canonsburg Police Chief R.T. Bell. In the general election, he defeated Republican Ralph McCullough of Carroll Township for a four-year term. The position pays $63,440.
Romano had been a deputy sheriff for 15 years before running for the top job. He graduated from Trinity High School and concentrated on criminal justice at Michigan State University. He competed as a wrestler at both the high school and collegiate levels.
As sheriff, Romano is in charge of more than 30 deputies plus office staff.
Washington County Commission Chairman Larry Maggi, who also is in charge of the prison board, declined to comment Monday on Romano's arrest. Maggi is a former Washington County sheriff and retired state trooper.
The fourth-class county code says sheriffs and other elected officials can be removed from office only by impeachment or by the governor "upon conviction of misbehavior in office, or of any infamous crime in accordance with the Constitution of this Commonwealth."
Staff writer Michael Jones contributed to this story.