MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The former Harrison County Sheriff’s Deputy seen on camera in a road rage video incident last August in Morgantown will serve 90 days home confinement.
William Sothen, 64, of Salem, pleaded no contest to the charge of misdemeanor battery filed following the Aug. 28, 2017 incident where a cell phone video appears to show him bringing a woman, then 21-year-old Amber Generally, to the ground along Van Voorhis Road as traffic sped by in the afternoon.
“He probably got partially what he deserved,” said Generally. “I mean, I wanted him to do jail. But as far as like, for me, I’m glad he got 90 days cause it kind of works in my favor just because I have gone through a lot since August.”
The two each told their story during a sentencing hearing Monday morning after Sothen waived his right to a trial.
“Which was a complete lie,” Generally said. “I’m surprised I even held myself together as well as I did, because I know what happened. I know the truth, but I mean it’s some form of justice for me.”
Sothen told the court he believed Generally had been driving erratically, possibly drunk or high on drugs. Generally, a black woman, said Sothen made it about race.
“He said, ‘Do you think you own the road because you’re black?'” Generally recounted during the hearing.
The incident began around the Goshen Road exit on I-79 northbound. Generally said she tried to speed up to get away from Sothen. She said, at one point, Sothen was following her. Sothen said he had been trying to take a photo of her license plate number.
Eventually, the two found themselves on Van Voorhis Road, both stopped at a light. Generally said Sothen got off his bike to see if he could smell alcohol from Generally’s car. He got back on his bike, then off of it again, which is when the viral video began.
“It’s kind of just a lot of adrenaline for me,” Generally said. “Because I’m like the fight or flight. If something happens, I’ve got to take action, and if I don’t then something bad will happen.”
At one point in the video, Sothen is seen taking Generally to the ground. She said the incident led to a second degree burn on her leg, a fractured bone, and several other mental and physical issues.
“I was kind of just thinking that if I don’t leave, if I don’t defend myself, if I don’t get this guy off of me then something bad is going to happen,” she added.
By pleading no contest, Sothen waived his right to an appeal.