WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — After a brief hospital examination, the suspect in a chase Monday night, February 20, 2023, in which a Wichita County Sheriff’s deputy’s vehicle was struck and rolled over is booked into jail on several charges.
Antonio Dean Ridley, of Wichita Falls, was booked into the Wichita County Jail on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, after he was cleared by physicians with United Regional. He faces the following charges:
- Evading arrest with a vehicle causing bodily injury — Third-degree felony
- Possession of a dangerous drug — State jail felony
- Possession of marijuana in a drug-free zone — Class A misdemeanor
Ridley is currently being held on bonds for the three charges which total $25,000.
According to the affidavit, just after 6 p.m. on Monday, February 20, 2023, Wichita County deputies were alerted that a 2010 White Chevy Equinox with Illinois tags had fled a traffic stop by a DPS trooper in Clay County and was headed toward Wichita Falls on U.S. 287.
Authorities said a Wichita County deputy set up at Business U.S. 287 and Homestead Lane. The deputy said the suspect’s car passed his unit, and he began pursuit. The vehicle pulled over near Fisher Road and the deputy said he ordered the driver to turn the vehicle off.
The deputy said the driver, later identified as Ridley, stuck his hands and upper body out the window and the deputy again told him to turn the vehicle off. He said Ridley told him it was off, but the deputy said the backlights were on and the vehicle began to creep forward.
The affidavit said the deputy told Ridley to shift his vehicle into park, then said Ridley made a motion as if he was shifting the car into park, then stuck his upper body back out the window. The deputy said he told him to throw the keys out the window and Ridley asked, “Huh?”
The deputy said he again ordered him to throw out the keys and Ridley then sped off west in the eastbound lanes of Business U.S. 287. He said it went back into the westbound lanes and at Martin Luther King Blvd. swerved back into the eastbound lanes.
The deputy said Ridley attempted to turn south onto Hines but was going too fast to make the turn and hit the curb, then turned into the parking lot of Huskey Hat Company then back onto Business 287.
He said when another deputy’s unit showed up west of the pursuit, Ridley turned south onto Old Windthorst Road and lost control again and hit the curb and began sliding back and forth across the road, and came to an abrupt stop after possibly blowing a tire.
According to authorities, the pursuing deputy’s unit then collided with the Equinox.
The deputy said Ridley then got out and ran east toward a daycare center on Scott Avenue. The deputy pursued and said he saw Ridley walking back toward the vehicles, and informed other deputies of his location.
Another deputy arrived and ordered Ridley to get on the ground, which they said he did after multiple commands.
Deputies said after Ridley was taken into custody, they learned another deputy who was en route to the pursuit had been struck by a civilian’s vehicle at Old Windthorst Road and Sunnyside Lane causing the deputy’s unit to flip.
The deputy was transported for treatment at the hospital for a hand injury.
Deputies said a search of the Equinox uncovered several ziplock baggies of marijuana weighing 3 pounds and 12 bottles of “Wockhardt Promethazine Hydrochloride Syrup.”
