The Rev. Roscoe D. Cooper III, vice chair of the Henrico County School Board, is to appear in court Nov. 16 on charges of driving under the influence and refusing to take a blood alcohol or breathalyzer test when he was stopped early Saturday morning on Interstate 64 by Virginia State Police.

Rev. Cooper is pastor of Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Eastern Henrico and has represented the county’s Fairfield District on the School Board since winning a slim, 42-vote victory over opponents in the November 2015 election.

He was arrested about 1 a.m. on I-64 just west of the Gaskins Road exit, according to police, who said he was riding in between two lanes.

Records from Henrico General District Court show that Rev. Cooper was released on bond after his arrest.

He also is facing charges of speeding in Henrico County from June and July. On June 30, he was charged with driving 43 mph in a 25 mph zone and driving without a license. On July 19, he was charged again for speeding, driving 38 mph in a 25 mph zone. His hearing date for the three charges is Sept. 12.

A statement issued by Henrico school officials Saturday stated: “Board members are aware of Mr. Cooper’s personal situation. We’ll be better able to respond once more details are available. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Cooper family at this time.”

Rev. Cooper and his wife are the parents of four children.

He did not respond to Free Press requests for comment.

Rev. Cooper has been pastor of Rising Mt. Zion Baptist for 14 years. According to the church website, he has quadrupled membership and spearheaded a multimillion dollar construction and renovation project for the church.

A former president of the Baptist Ministers Conference of Richmond and Vicinity, he has been recognized for his work by the Richmond Branch NAACP. He serves as chair of the Capital Area Health Network board and is a member of the Religious Advisory Committee of U.S. Sen. Mark Warner. — HOLLY RODRIGUEZ