Longtime Rock Ridge School Board member faces DWI charge

VIRGINIA — Pollyann Sorcan, a long-serving and often-contentious director of the Rock Ridge School Board, was charged Monday, Sept. 30, with third-degree driving while intoxicated at more than twice the legal limit.

Sorcan, 71, was reelected to a four-year term in 2022 and has served more than 20 years as a director for Rock Ridge and the former Eveleth-Gilbert school boards, during which times she sued both districts on separate occasions and has a pending appeal stemming from the latest one.

As of Monday afternoon, Sorcan was listed on the St. Louis County Jail’s 48-hour release roster. The gross misdemeanor carries up to a $3,000 fine and/or less than a year in prison, if convicted.

Rock Ridge Superintendent Noel Schmidt said the district would not be offering a comment on the situation.

According to court records, Eveleth police responded Friday to a report of a suspected intoxicated driver, who allegedly hit an RV, in an alley on 1400 block of W. Second St. in West Eveleth.

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Sorcan was standing outside her car and allegedly told officers she was driving home and didn’t know what happened. A witness said the car was in the alley and pulled into the field, before the RV’s ladder was struck when she attempted to back out.

Police noted Sorcan’s “repetitive speech patterns and the strong odor of alcoholic beverage” and that her eyes appeared to be “bloodshot and watery,” according to the complaint.

She was described in the report as off balance and using her car for support, experienced trouble finishing her sentences and when asked if she could walk unassisted, she answered she could not, “then proceeded to walk unassisted.”

Sorcan allegedly told police she had previous treatments for “balance issues,” but “I don’t know why.”

A field test was administered and police noted her eyes allegedly did not continually track, and that she needed instructions repeated multiple times.

The preliminary breathalyzer test showed a 0.21% blood-alcohol content. Sorcan was arrested and transported to the Virginia jail, where she attempted to contact an attorney and later agreed to a breath test.

Sorcan’s blood-alcohol content was allegedly 0.18% on the second test, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08%.

She appeared Monday in Sixth District Court in Virginia and her next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 16.

How does this impact the board?

The Rock Ridge School Board is set to meet Oct. 14, two days before Sorcan’s next scheduled court appearance, but it’s not clear the next steps.

Schmidt and school board officers — Chair Bill Addy, Vice Chair John Uhan, Clerk Brandi Lautigar, Treasurer Nicole Culbertson-Dahl and Alternate Clerk Tim Riordan — also declined comment on how the board’s policies would apply to the situation.

It’s unlikely the board would take any drastic options until the legal process is resolved, but it could call a special meeting before Oct. 14 to discuss their options in the interim and beyond.

Sorcan is innocent until proven guilty and could see the charge dropped. She could fight the charge to clear herself, which would likely draw out the timeline for resolution, but both provide the clearest path for her and the board.

Sorcan could also plead guilty, or plead out to a lesser charge. It’s not uncommon practice for defendants and prosecutors to accept wreckless driving charges that erase the DWI. Sorcan has not previously faced criminal charges.

The outcome of the legal end could come with heavy implications for Sorcan and the board, who have found themselves often at odds.

Voters will head to the polls in November with four Rock Ridge seats open and Riordan as the only incumbent seeking another term. Sorcan’s current term expires in 2026.

If she ultimately resigns or is removed by current board, it would create a fifth vacancy that could be filled by appointment or a separate special election.

State statute governing school boards say a member can be removed for “proper cause” with at least four votes after fulfilling notification and meeting requirements.

It’s unclear if school policies spell out “proper cause” as the board’s Code of Ethics provide guidelines for official duty. The district’s criminal action policy provides specifics for only students and employees.