The following is a press released issued by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. The information has not been proven in a court of law and any individuals described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty:
On 04-16-2021 at approximately 1:09 PM, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a domestic violence incident in progress in the 2000 block of South Dora Street in Ukiah, California.
Upon arrival, Deputies contacted an adult female and an eyewitness standing on South Dora Street. The male subject, Derrick Ridenour, had left the scene prior to the Deputies arrival.
Deputies learned Ridenour and the adult female had been in a romantic dating relationship. Ridenour was on probation for a prior domestic violence incident with a term of no contact with the adult female. Ridenour was also the restrained party in a served Criminal Protective Order with the adult female being the protected party.
Ridenour was giving the adult female a ride to her family member’s residence when they became involved in a verbal argument.
The verbal argument escalated between the two, which resulted in Ridenour refusing to let the adult female out of the car as she had repeatedly requested he do. When the adult female tried to exit the car, Ridenour would grab her by the hair and pull her back into the vehicle.
As the argument continued, Ridenour stopped the vehicle in the 2000 block of South Dora Street. There, Ridenour took the adult female’s phone away from her so she could not call 911 and he began choking her by placing his hands around her neck as they stood outside the vehicle.
It was during this time, an eyewitness was jogging by and saw what was taking place between Ridenour and the adult female.
The eyewitness began shouting at Ridenour to stop and dialed 911. This caused Ridenour to leave the scene in his vehicle.
Deputies observed visible injuries to the adult female’s neck and face.
Ridenour was located a short time later in the 1400 block of South State Street in Ukiah.
Ridenour was placed under arrest for domestic violence battery, kidnapping, false imprisonment, violation of probation, and violation of a restraining order.
Ridenour was booked into the Mendocino County Jail where he was to be held in lieu of $110,000.00 bail
