A Lincoln County District Judge has denied a motion to quash filed by a defendant 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.
District Judge Cindy Ashwood denied the motion to quash during a Nov. 2 hearing and set his arraignment for 9:30 a.m. Dec. 21. The motion to quash the bind over and dismiss was filed Sep. 21 and the judge continued the matter until Nov. 2.
His arraignment originally had been scheduled for Aug. 17 with his $30,000 bond remaining 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.