By IANS/EFE,
Washington : The director of the Federal Aviation Administration, Randy Babbitt, was temporarily suspended after being arrested on the weekend for driving under the influence of alcohol, the US government announced Monday.
The Transportation Department said in a communique that Babbitt had taken temporary and voluntary leave and that it is reviewing his case. On Saturday he was flagged down by police in Virginia while driving on the wrong side of the road.
According to police, Babbitt was driving alone in his vehicle and cooperated during the roadside sobriety test they gave him. Although the blood alcohol level found during the test has not been revealed, he was released shortly after being identified.
Babbitt, a 65-year-old former airline pilot and respected international authority on aviation, will have to appear in court to respond to the charges of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Since he was appointed to the post in 2009 by President Barack Obama, Babbitt has sponsored the implementation of new safety measures in the aviation industry.