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Bradley protests possible early release for escapee who raped deputy

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District Attorney John Bradley is protesting the parole consideration for Earl Ponder, 43, who is serving a life sentence for the aggravated sexual assault of a Travis County Sheriff's deputy.

Bradley recently received notice from the Parole Board that Ponder is eligible for early release.

On Feb. 11, 1985, Ponder escaped from an Oklahoma prison, where he was serving time for armed robbery. Ponder stole a truck and headed to Texas.

When Ponder reached Dallas, he raped a woman. He then traveled to Waco, where he committed an aggravated robbery. While driving to Austin from Waco on Feb. 17, 1985, he wrecked the stolen truck and began walking along the frontage road of Interstate 35 near Yeager Lane. A Travis County female deputy tried to detain Ponder for investigation of the accident. But Ponder, armed with a handgun, kidnapped the deputy, took her handgun and forced her to drive her patrol car to a dirt road between Taylor and Coupland - near the intersection of SH 95 and FM 1660.

Ponder then handcuffed the deputy, stole her money and sexually assaulted her while threatening for several hours to kill her. He left her handcuffed to a pole under a wooden bridge and began walking toward Coupland along SH 95.

Meanwhile, law enforcement was conducting a massive air search for the deputy. Then-Governor Mark White ordered the Air National Guard to participate in the search. Numerous helicopters were used, including one from a local TV station. Officers spotted the deputy's patrol car and located her under the bridge.

A Williamson County jury convicted Ponder of aggravated sexual assault and sentenced him to life in prison on May 9, 1985. Under the law in effect at the time of his trial, Ponder was required to serve 20 years before he was eligible for parole. (The law now requires an inmate to serve at least 30 years of a life sentence before he is eligible for parole.)

“I am concerned that a violent criminal like Ponder is even being considered for early release,” said Bradley. “Never again should this man be free to harm the public.”

Any citizen may protest the parole of an inmate. Letters of protest may be directed to TDCJ, Victim Services Division, 8712 Shoal Creek Blvd., Suite 265, Austin, TX 78757. To protest parole in this case, identify the inmate as Earl Ponder, TDCJ-ID No. 00400321.

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