A Lincoln County District Judge has scheduled a jury trial for a driver charged with manslaughter in the driving death of a Stroud woman.
Jessie O. Hardridge, 42, of Edmond, was charged June 22, 2020 in Lincoln County District Court with first degree manslaughter, a felony, in the death of Wendi Wright, 41.
During his arraignment last month, Hardridge pleaded not guilty to the charge. At that time, District Judge Cindy Ashwood scheduled a jury trial for Hardridge at 9 a.m. on Feb. 7. The case is set for the felony disposition docket at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 18.
District Judge Cindy Ashwood denied a motion to quash during a Nov. 2 hearing and set his arraignment for Dec. 21.
His $30,000 bond remains in effect.
Hardridge is accused of without premeditated design causing the death of Wright on April 29, 2020 while he was engaged in a misdemeanor of reckless driving. The information states he was driving a 2019 Nissan Frontier on the Turner Turnpike that propelled into and against Wright who was at the time operating a 2014 Dodge Challenger.
State Trooper Michael Wallace in an affidavit states that just before 6 a.m. on April 29, Hardridge was driving his vehicle westbound on the Turner Turnpike approaching the Stroud exit. He was on his way home to Edmond after having worked an overnight shift and fell asleep behind the wheel.
Wallace further notes that Wright was on the ramp to enter the Turnpike westbound from Stroud in Lincoln County.
Hardridge reportedly awoke in the westbound off ramp and realized he was going too fast to make the curve right in the off ramp.
The trooper states the event data recorder (EDR) in the Nissan driven by Hardridge reported he was at 95 miles per hour in the seconds prior to the collision.
The speed limit was 75 miles per hour.
Hardridge reportedly explained he saw the Dodge in his peripheral view as he departed the off ramp as the ramp curved.
The Dodge was going too fast and Hardridge lost control of his vehicle, the affidavit states.
Hardridge crossed the grassy physical, became airborne as he continued into the on ramp, striking Wright’s Dodge in the driver side, driving over the top of the Dodge.
The Nissan went end over end and came to rest the right side up, inside the grassy loop of the on ramp.