Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office, Virginia
End of Watch: Saturday, June 19, 2010
Age: 52
Tour of Duty: 6 years
Badge Number: 390
Cause of Death: Boating accident
Date of Incident: June 19, 2010
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Deputy Sheriff Dean Ridings was killed in a boating accident while conducting marine patrol on Lake Anna with another deputy.
The boat encountered a large wake, causing it to turn sideways. Deputy Riding struck his head on the boat, and his partner was thrown overboard.
Other boaters assisted his partner out of the water and back onto the patrol boat, which he immediately returned to shore. Both deputies were transported to Mary Washington Hospital, where Deputy Ridings succumbed to his injuries.
Deputy Ridings was a United States Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office for six years. He is survived by his wife, two sons, and three grandchildren. Both of his sons also serve as deputies with the agency.