Tiffany Revelle
Staff Writer
LAKE COUNTY ? An April 2006 Clear Lake boating accident has the attention of KGO, Channel 7 out of San Francisco. A special report by KGO”s Dan Noyes will air Monday and Tuesday nights at 6 p.m.
It is expected to feature a recreation of the night time accident that occurred when Lake County Chief Deputy Sheriff Russell Perdock”s 24-foot Baja motorboat struck a 27-foot O”Day sailboat operated by Charmichael resident Bismarch Dinius on April 29, 2006.
Witnesses reported that the O”Day sailboat was underway without running lights when Perdock”s Baja hit it, according to previious Record-Bee reports. A June 1 press release from the Lake County District Attorney”s Office states that Dinius was seated at the rudder when the powerboat collided with it in the dark at about 9:30 p.m., and had not maintained a lookout.
One of the sailboat”s passengers was Lynn Thornton of Willows, who died within a week after the April 29 accident. There were five passengers on the sailboat, two on the motorboat.
Test results released to the Record-Bee the following Thursday revealed that both Dinius and the sailboat”s owner, Mark Weber of Willows, had blood alcohol levels exceeding legal limits, with Dinius” level at .12, and Weber”s at .18.
Perdock reportedly had no alcohol in his system at the time, and called central dispatch on a cell phone to report the accident.
When asked what drew his attention to the case, KGO producer Dan Noyes confirmed the air times and said, “What”s going to be on the air is going to speak for itself.”
Dinius faces a felony count of vehicular manslaughter involving a vessel, a violation of California Penal Code section 192(c)(1), and boating under the influence of alcohol, a misdemeanor violation of the California harbors and Navigation Code sections 655(b) and (c), according to the June 1 D.A.”s Office press release.
The release further states that no charges were filed against Weber or Perdock.
Perdock said he could not comment on the case as it involves pending criminal and civil action.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
