Fast-moving motorcycle leads to Oconee chase and arrest

An Oconee deputy saw a fast-moving motorcycle early yesterday on U-S 76 near the Welcome Church Road.  He tried to initiate a traffic stop but, according to the Sheriff’s Office, the motorcycle and its driver kept on going.  It was a chase that caught the attention of some Oconeeans, despite the early morning hour.  Eventually the chase turned onto the Coffee Road, to Walhalla, to West Union, to n. highway 11 and the Salem area where it ended on the Friendly Road.  A Pickens County man, Donald Avery Ridley of Central, was sent to jail where he faces multiple charges.  According to the Sheriff’s Office, a search produced a quantity of methamphetamine on the person of Ridley and deputies learned that his license was suspended.  The tag of the motorcycle did not match the Vehicle Identification Number on the bike.  The 38-year old Ridley was taken to the Detention Center where he was charged in traffic tickets with driving under suspension – 2nd Offense, improper vehicle license and reckless driving.  Other charges are possession of methamphetamine and failure to stop for a blue light. By noon today, Ridley remained jailed and his bond stood at $11,942.50 with surety.