With only four days left under the statute of limitations, the father of a dead 14-year-old boy this morning filed a civil lawsuit against state Sen. Robert Regola III.

Douglas Farrell, next-door neighbor of the senator, is bringing the lawsuit on behalf of the estate of his late son, Louis. The boy killed himself on July 22, 2006, with Mr. Regola's 9 mm pistol, the Westmoreland County coroner ruled.

Mr. Regola, R-Hempfield, said Louis evidently took the pistol from the senator's upstairs bedroom while caring for the Regolas' dogs.

The lawsuit, filed in Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court, also names the senator's wife, Janette, and their 18-year-old son, Bobby, as defendants.

Jon Perry, an attorney for the Farrell family, said a complaint outlining specific claims against the Regolas will be added to the lawsuit later.

Bobby Regola said he spoke by cell phone to Louis the night the gun disappeared. Louis, by the Regolas' account, denied having gone upstairs, where the pistol was kept. His body was found hours later in the woods near his house.

Mr. Regola, 45, won an acquittal one week ago on six criminal charges connected to Louis' death. Police and prosecutors said Mr. Regola gave the 9 mm pistol to his son when he was just 14.

But a jury rejected the state's case, finding the senator not guilty of perjury, providing a firearm to a minor, reckless endangerment and false swearing.

In an interview this week, Mr. Regola said he hoped the Farrell family would not sue him in civil court. He also said he wanted to repair his friendship with Louis' parents.

In a statement released today, the senator said, "Despite today's filing, I am hopeful that both our families are able to find some closure without more legal proceedings. Lou's death was a tragedy for all of us, and I thought that my acquittal would help us all find that closure.

"Throughout this tragedy, I have placed my faith in the justice system. I will continue to do so in regards to this matter."