Confusion over Island Lake Mayor's and Wife's Bail

by Cal Skinner

I can't begin to tell you why two Lake County jailers told me last night that former Mayor Tom Hyde's wife Sharon had posted 10% of a $400,000 bail--$40,000.

I wrote my story after a 5:30 contract with the first jailer.

A friend read it and the Daily Herald story, which said the woman had posted a $10,000 bail, so I called the jail again.

Again I was told Sharon Hyde's bail was $400,000 and that she had posted $40,000.

Today, I talked to Sgt. Chris Thompson, who is the Lake County Sheriff Department's public affairs officer.

He looked it up and found that Sharon Hyde's bail was $100,000, with $10,000 posted, while Thomas Hyde's was $50,000 and he had been released on his own recognizance.

The only explanation he could think of was that the jailers had read the computer wrong.

Oh, well.

For those just dipping in on this story, Hyde was the Democratic Party leader of Island Lake. He apparently voted to hire his wife to run the village day care center called Creative Playtime. More here.

She apparently got paid for work she didn't do.

Over $100,000 worth, the two Herald's report.

The pictures of Sharon and Tom Hyde are those taken when they were booked into the Lake County Jail on June 10th.

Posted first at McHenry County Blog.