An Orangeburg County judge has granted bond for the man accused of fatally striking Trooper First Class (TFC) Dennis Ricks on I-26 earlier this month.
Bond Conditions
On Friday, 45-year-old Anthony Aydlette of Hanahan was granted a $225,000 bond. As part of the ruling, he must wear an ankle monitor and is prohibited from contacting Trooper Ricks’ family.
Aydlette faces a charge of reckless homicide in connection with the deadly crash.
The Deadly Crash on I-26
The incident happened just after 2 a.m. on August 10 near mile marker 166 in Orangeburg County.
Trooper Ricks had just completed a traffic stop and was walking back to his patrol car when he was struck by a box truck. Sheriff Leroy Ravenell confirmed that Ricks was not in the roadway at the time.
The impact left Ricks with catastrophic injuries, including a severe brain injury, swelling, kidney bleeding, and multiple broken bones, according to a social media update shared by his wife.
Despite being rushed to the hospital, Ricks died on August 14.
Aydlette’s Driving History
Sheriff Ravenell emphasized that Aydlette should not have been driving at all. Records show that in the past decade, he has had:
7 driver’s license suspensions
6 accidents, with 4 determined to be his fault
At least 2 traffic violations
At the time of the crash, investigators say Aydlette was traveling about 62 mph.
Community Response
The death of Trooper Ricks has deeply impacted South Carolina’s law enforcement community. Sheriff Ravenell underscored the tragedy, saying Aydlette’s long record of traffic issues shows he posed an ongoing danger on the roads.
Aydlette remains free on bond while awaiting trial under the court’s strict monitoring conditions.
