By Shereen Siewert
A Wausau-area man who allegedly fled from police with more than 1,000 doses of methamphetamine, a loaded gun, ammunition and thousands in cash in his vehicle was found not competent to stand trial and has been sent to an inpatient treatment center.
Trenton L. McCorkle, 25, faces an array of felony charges in Marathon County Circuit Court connected to a Dec. 14 traffic stop in Rothschild. Six months after that case was filed, McCorkle was indicted on federal charges in what prosecutors describe as a drug distribution scheme.
Police say McCorkle, of Weston, was already on a $10,000 bond when police tried to pull him over. Officers say McCorkle was driving recklessly, weaving in and out of traffic and around vehicles on Bus. Hwy. 51 at a high rate of speed and refused to stop until he struck a light pole on West Grand Avenue near Park Street.
Federal prosecutors say McCorkle had more than 220 grams of methamphetamine for distribution during that stop – along with a loaded .45 caliber tactical handgun and ammunition.
According to court documents, witness told police he saw a woman toss a black bag out of McCorkle’s vehicle during the pursuit, an observation later corroborated by McCorkle’s passenger, who has not been charged. The passenger told police she feared for her life during the chase and threw the bag at McCorkle’s direction, “just making sure she didn’t die.”
Court records show McCorkle had three open felony cases at the time of his arrest, all filed in Lincoln County Circuit Court, at the time of his arrest. Two of the three involve drugs and weapons charges. McCorkle is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms. Police suspect McCorkle of selling “pounds” of methamphetamine in the Wausau area, according to an incident report filed with the court.
In Marathon County Circuit Court, McCorkle faces charges of fleeing an officer, possession of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing drug paraphernalia. In federal court, he faces charges of possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Marathon County court records show McCorkle was the subject of a competency hearing on Aug. 2, during which a judge found he was not competent to proceed with the case. Circuit Judge Greg Strasser suspended proceedings against him and ordered McCorkle transported to Mendota for inpatient treatment.
In federal court, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin issued a writ ordering McCorkle to be produced in Madison for an Aug. 16 hearing. That order was returned unexecuted.
Marathon County has a review hearing set for Nov. 23. McCorkle also has a competency hearing set in three additional Lincoln County cases on Aug. 18.
