Staff writer

bmiller@observer-reporter.com

If anyone sees Washington County Sheriff Sam Romano behind the wheel of a county car or other vehicle in Pennsylvania since he entered a guilty plea to drunken driving in West Virginia, it's perfectly legal for him to drive here.

Romano faces no driver's license suspension in Pennsylvania, according to a state Department of Transportation spokeswoman in Harrisburg.

Danielle E. Klinger, community relations coordinator, wrote in an e-mail that "if an individual is convicted of a DUI offense in another state, the law requires that PennDOT treat it as a conviction of the lowest (blood-alcohol content.) If it is the individual's first DUI offense, no suspension would be imposed."

Romano's blood-alcohol content was 0.231 percent, nearly three times the legal limit to operate a motor vehicle in either West Virginia or Pennsylvania.

The sheriff did not return phone calls Tuesday or Wednesday seeking comment on his guilty plea.

A first offender arrested for DUI in Pennsylvania could be offered admission to the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program, which includes loss of a license for up to 60 days depending on the blood-alcohol content, a fine of between $300 and $5,000 and related fees and court costs, undergoing an evaluation for drug and alcohol abuse and attendance at a highway safety school.

West Virginia will give Romano the option of attending highway safety classes there or in Pennsylvania.

When he was charged June 4 near Parsons, W.Va., in Tucker County, Romano was at the wheel of a black Mercedes-Benz owned by his fiancee, Angie Conner. After his arrest, Romano spent more than 14 hours at Tygart Valley Regional Jail. At his hearing, Tucker County Magistrate Riley Barb gave Romano credit for his time served, waiving additional jail time. Barb also fined Romano $100 and ordered him to pay $239 in court costs.

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