Funeral for Spotsylvania deputy killed in the line of duty will be on Wednesday
A funeral for the Spotsylvania County deputy killed in the line of duty Saturday is set for Wednesday.
Deputy Dean Ridings’ funeral will start at 11 a.m. at Salem Fields Community Church at 11120 Gordon Road in Spotsylvania, according to information released today.
Ridings will be buried at Laurel Hill Memorial Cemetery on State Route 3.
Covenant Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. No public visitation is scheduled.
Ridings, 52, was on patrol on Lake Anna when a wake or series of wakes struck the 19-foot patrol boat he was on.
The impact caused Ridings to fall and hit his head inside the boat. He was knocked unconscious and was pronounced dead later that day at Mary Washington Hospital.
The boat operator, Deputy William Schroeder Jr., was ejected into the water but was not seriously injured, police said.
Spotsylvania Capt. Bill Gill said the department is reeling from the “freak” accident, but has been comforted by support from the public and other law-enforcement agencies.
For example, Gill said Fredericksburg Police Chief David Nye met Spotsylvania officials at the hospital and has been assisting ever since.
“It’s always nice to have the support of your fellow brothers and sisters in your time of need,” Gill said.
The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is investigating the incident, and the investigation could be completed this week. Sheriff Howard Smith has said he doesn’t anticipate any charges being filed.
Gill said state police will patrol the county Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to give county deputies a chance to mourn and attend the funeral.
Gill said a number of law-enforcement agencies are assisting with funeral logistics, which are extensive.
Previous funerals of local officers killed in the line of duty have attracted huge crowds, including law-enforcement representatives from all over the state and country.
The funeral procession will leave the church north on Gordon Road to Route 3, where it will proceed west to the cemetery.
Ridings, a part-time deputy who has been with the Spotsylvania department since 2004, has two sons who are deputies in Spotsylvania.
Among his other survivors is his wife of 30 years, Anna Marie Ridings.
The family requests that expressions of sympathy be contributions to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 400 7th St., Washington, DC, 20004.
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