By Betsy Finklea
A charge of breach of peace lodged against former Dillon County Chief Deputy Douglas Pernell has been dismissed, according to Fourth Circuit Solicitor Will Rogers.
Pernell, the former Dillon County Sheriff’s Office chief deputy, was arrested by current Chief Deputy Larry Abraham at the courthouse prior to a hearing involving the county council on Tuesday, May 24th.
Rogers said a consent order was done by Pernell’s attorney on June 15th asking for a motion to dismiss based on S.C. Code #56-7-10. Rogers said that this states that a uniform traffic ticket can be written for 52 offense codes and breach of peace is not listed among those.
Further, Rogers stated that an Attorney General’s opinion from 2003 says that a law enforcement office may arrest for breach of peace, but a warrant must be obtained shortly thereafter.
Rogers said after researching the matter, he issued a consent order dismissing the charge.