MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Local leader and West Virginia Board of Education member Frank Vitale was arrested for DUI on Sept. 8, according to court records.
The Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department charged Francis S. Vitale, 43, of Morgantown, with DUI and leaving the scene of an accident.
According to his criminal complaint: Deputies responded to the Cheat Road area for a hit and run.
The victim followed the truck involved in the accident. The driver reported the license plate to 911 dispatchers, and it returned to Vitale.
Police found the truck at Vitale’s house. He answered the door with his wife and said he was driving the truck. He had alcohol on his breath and was unsteady.
Deputies saw damage to his truck, and Vitale failed field sobriety tests.
At the station, Vitale failed to provide a breath sample on three occasions.
Vitale told The Dominion Post that he was at a dinner for about three hours beforehand and didn’t know he hit another vehicle. If he thought he was impaired, “I would have never gotten behind the wheel,” he said.
Vitale apologized for embarrassing his family and the community. “I can guarantee it will never happen again,” he said.
Vitale has served on numerous community boards in the Morgantown area, including the Morgantown Area Chamber of Commerce board and the Mon County Economic Development Authority. He’s also served as campaign chairman for the United Way of Monongalia and Preston Counties.