As a long time boater, I was appalled to read details of the 2006 incident wherein a sailboat was run down by a powerboat operated by a County Sheriff”s deputy, killing one of the occupants. Every experienced boater knows that in conditions of limited visibility especially at night speed can be deadly, as it was in this case. There are simply no excuses for striking any object in the dark. In this case the fact that the sailors may have had a beer ? or two ? too many is beside the point. The fact that they may have been underway without running lights is also beside the point. It was Chief Deputy Perdock”s responsibility to operate his vessel in such a manner that no other boat or person would be endangered. The fact that he failed to do so would indicate that he is either inexperienced, reckless or both. I am reasonably sure that were he simply a civilian, and not a Deputy Sheriff, it would be Sheriff Perdock facing charges and not the hapless sailors whom he ran down.
Connel Murray
Kelseyville
