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Sheriff's Deputy Killed In Tragic Boating Accident

The patrol car of Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Deputy Dean Ridings, who died Saturday in a boating accident, is draped in black, with flowers as the Sheriff's Department mourns his loss. (Hank Silverberg/WTOP Photo)

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SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. – The patrol car of a Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s deputy sits draped in black Sunday as fellow deputies mourn one of their own who died yesterday in a tragic boating accident.

Deputy Dean Ridings, 52, was on marine patrol of a crowded Lake Anna when the accident happened around 12:40p.m., Saturday.

“The boat was struck by a large wake, or a series of wakes which caused the boat to go sideways and caused Deputy Ridings to strike his head,” says Sheriff Howard Smith.

Smith says that the lake is usually very busy on weekends, making the waters rougher than usual.

He was taken to Mary Washington Hospital where he died as a result of his injuries. Deputy William Schroeder, who was driving the boat, was thrown from the boat into the water and was later rescued by other boats.

Ridings had been a member of the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office since 2004. His two sons are also deputies with the county.

He is the first Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Deputy to die in the line of duty since 1988.

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