The case of a 14-year-old boy who killed himself with a state senator's pistol is headed to civil court.

Douglas Farrell, father of the dead boy and next-door neighbor of Sen. Robert Regola III, filed the lawsuit yesterday, four days before the statute of limitations expired.

Mr. Farrell's son, Louis, shot himself on July 22, 2006, with Mr. Regola's 9 mm handgun, the Westmoreland County coroner ruled after an investigation covering eight months.

Mr. Regola, R-Hempfield, said Louis took the pistol from the senator's upstairs bedroom.

Mr. Farrell brought his lawsuit one week after a jury acquitted Mr. Regola of six criminal charges related to Louis' death. The civil case, filed in Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court, also names the senator's wife, Janette, and their 18-year-old son, Bobby, as defendants.

State police and county prosecutors alleged that Mr. Regola gave the 9 mm pistol to son Bobby when he was just 14. They said this was a crime and that it allowed the pistol to get into Louis' hands.

But a jury rejected the state's case in just 3¹/₂ hours, acquitting the senator of perjury, providing a firearm to a minor, reckless endangerment and false swearing.

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

Mr. Regola, who earlier this week said he hoped to repair his relationship with the Farrell family, released this statement: "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 manner."

Mr. Regola is running for a second term in the November election. Democrats have nominated Anthony Bompiani, a 55-year-old chiropractor, to challenge him.