Ship pilot to face charges

<p>A federal judge in San Francisco has refused to throw out the charges against the Petaluma ship's pilot who was directing the container ship in November that sideswiped a Bay Bridge tower, spilling more than 50,000 gallons of fuel oil into San Francisco Bay.</p><p>Capt. John Cota has been charged with two misdemeanor environmental crimes stemming from the incident, and two felony charges of lying to the Coast Guard about his medical record.</p><p>Cota has pleaded not guilty to all counts.</p><p>U.S. District Judge Susan Illston on Friday rejected Cota's request that she throw out the charges. But Illston did agree to split the environmental and false-statements charges -- setting up the likelihood of two separate trials for Cota, beginning Oct. 6.</p><p>-- Associated Press</p>