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Nepotism in Lake County?

Well, this should help Lake County residents sleep well at night. Former deputy sheriff Russell Perdock was appointed to the Lake County Fire Protection District board of directors last week. Readers may recall that Perdock was racing his 385-hp Baja Outlaw powerboat at 50 mph across Clear Lake on the pitch black night of April 26, 2006, when he ran up and over the O’Day 28 Beats Workin’ II, mortally wounding Willows resident Lynn Thornton and injuring most of the crew aboard. He was never charged with a crime, but hapless Bismarck Dinius, who had his hand on the tiller at the time Perdock collided with the nearly stationary O’Day, was. Ultimately, Dinius was acquitted by a jury, Perdock was canned by the Sheriff’s Office and the district attorney who prosecuted Dinius — and refused to prosecute Perdock — Jon E. Hopkins, was not re-elected.

The Record-Bee’s report on the appointment noted that Perdock has never served as a volunteer or paid firefighter, but his father had and his mother had served on the same board. Might make some wonder how he got the gig.

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