Mike Perdue, the Republican candidate for the at-large seat on the Guilford County Board of Commissioners, responded to questions about past criminal charges in an interview Thursday.
Guilford County Court records show Perdue had 13 charges against him between 1983 and 2014, ranging from speeding and misdemeanor larceny to driving a boat under the influence of alcohol. Perdue’s charges came to light after we reported that his opponent, Greg Drumwright, has a history of traffic citations, misdemeanors, evictions, and debts. (Drumwright did not respond to questions for that story.)
Some of Perdue’s earliest charges—five between 1983 and 1986—were for speeding. Another involved possession of beer or wine on an unauthorized premises. In an interview, Perdue admitted to those infractions, but chalked them up to being young.
“It is what it is,” said Perdue, now 61.
In 1985, Perdue was charged for non-payment of child support.
“I honestly didn’t know it was my child until we went to court and we did a blood test,” Perdue said.
After paternity was established, Perdue said, he paid child support—$40 a week at that time, per court records—until his son moved in with him at 15. Six years later, Perdue said, his son died in a car accident.
The DWI charge stems from a different family tragedy.
On July 4, 2003, Perdue was celebrating at a lake in Rockingham County with his wife and family, including his wife’s sister. It was late in the evening and several boats had gathered on the water to watch the fireworks. The boat was stationary, he said, when his sister-in-law fell overboard and drowned. Perdue said he took a breathalyzer test and blew below the legal limit, but had admitted to police that he’d been drinking. Court records show that charge was later dismissed.
“This is a sensitive one,” Perdue said. “I did not get convicted. I was not drunk, I want to be very clear.”
In 2000, Perdue and several friends were charged with misdemeanor larceny for an incident that occurred during the Greater Greensboro Open, now called the GO by Raymond James.
“It was right there by my house,” Perdue said of the annual golf tournament. “Me and several of the neighbors were sitting in the hospitality tents and an officer came in and said the tournament had finished. We were all finishing up a beer and he charged us all with stealing a beer. We didn’t steal nothing.” That case was also dismissed, per court records.
In 2009, Perdue was charged with aiding and abetting impaired driving. A friend was pulled over for driving while intoxicated in a car registered to Perdue. The candidate said he was not in the car. Court records also show that charge was dismissed.
“I’ve got zero to hide,” Perdue said.
