A county man was taken into custody last week after he was accused of taking items belonging to a delivery driver.
According to district court information from the Okmulgee County Sheriff ’s Department, Matthew Lewis Ridgeway, 38, was arrested June 15, and is being held on a $100,000 bond, facing complaints of Second Degree Robbery and Third Degree Burglary.
Okmulgee County Sheriff ’s deputies were dispatched to the 18100 block of Old Morris Hwy. around 5:20 p.m. about a report of a robbery that had just taken place.
The court documents state a FedEx driver attempted to deliver tires to Ridgeway’s address, but was informed that he had not ordered tires. The driver was di- rected to a neighboring address, and when the driver went to the address, he was informed that the resident had not ordered any tires.
At that time, Ridgeway “claimed the tires were his and became belligerent” with the FedEx driver, the affidavit stated.
The deputies were told Ridgeway then ‘ripped open’ the door to the truck and climbed into the cab. While inside, he took a backpack that was in the front seat, which contained the driver’s personal weapon. He then returned to his residence with the bag.
The driver called 911, requesting assistance. When deputies arrived and identified the subject, Sheriff Eddy Rice was called in to assist since he had previous contact with Ridgeway.
The subject was ordered to stop and place the bag on the ground, but failed to comply with orders to place his hands on his head, the court record stated.
Ridgeway was taken into custody after he attempted to walk away, but Rice was able to stop him and Ridgeway was then placed in handcuffs. The bag was identified as belonging to the delivery driver.
The subject was booked into the Okmulgee County jail on the robbery and burglary complaints, and additionally had active protective orders.
Ridgeway is due in Okmulgee County district court on June 26 at 1:15 p.m.