A plea deal was reached Monday morning in Christian Circuit Court for Ronald Aldridge, the man who robbed the North Main Street Marathon gas station in March.
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Greg Cortese explained the deal that had the 27-year old Aldridge pleading guilty to second-degree robbery—amended down from first-degree—and that dismissed a kidnapping charge with a recommended sentence of six years with the Commonwealth neutral on probation.
Aldridge entered the North Main Street Marathon gas station on the night of March 17, 2022, brandished a handgun and demanded cash from the clerk. After getting the money from the register, he demanded the clerk’s cellphone and left the store.
He then got into the passenger side of a vehicle parked next to a gas pump and demanded that the driver who was behind the wheel drive him away at gunpoint.
Police say the owner of the vehicle barely got onto North Main before a struggle ensued and the driver and the suspect fell out of the passenger side door, with the gun going off during a fight over the weapon. No one was injured.
Judge John Atkins agreed to let Aldridge out on an ankle monitor until sentencing June 5, so long as he can pay the bill and the Commonwealth can provide documentation that the victims in the case are okay with the deal.
If Aldridge is released before sentencing, he will be on an ankle monitor under several conditions including not traveling outside of the county and not consuming drugs or alcohol