Former Principal Dies in County Jail

A former principal for both the Hope and Monte Vista Elementary schools was found dead in a cell at the Santa Barbara County Jail early this morning.

According to Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Drew Sugars, custody deputies at the jail discovered 59-year-old Santa Barbara resident Patrick Plamondon unresponsive in one of the jail’s cells around 2:50 a.m. this morning. Emergency medical personnel were called and attempted to resuscitate the man, but were unable to awaken Plamondon, who was in jail for allegedly violating a restraining order from his estranged wife.

Deputy District Attorney Ali Neufer, who had been reviewing Plamondon’s case, said he was taken into custody Monday, November 10. Neufer didn’t know when the restraining order had originally been filed. The reason why it had been filed was not included in the report she reviewed.

The coroner is investigating Plamondon’s death. There were no signs of foul play. Sugars had no further information about Plamondon.

Gerrie Fausett, the superintendent for the Hope School District, said Plamondon was the special education coordinator for the district in addition to working as principal at the two schools before retiring in 2007. He began as principal of Hope School in 1999, followed by a two-year stint at Monte Vista. “He was very well-liked by the district and was a very big part of the community,” Fausett said.

UPDATE: Plamondon was also the son of former Santa Barbara Mayor Bud Plamondon.

UPDATE TO THE UPDATE: Plamondon’s father in fact was not mayor, but ran for mayor decades ago.