A pre-disposition investigation has been completed for Aaron Renel, the man accused in a 2022 standoff with law enforcement involving a military vehicle.
Defense attorney Eric Pangburn said he has shared the document with Renel and discussed it. Treatment for Renel, who pleaded not guilty due to illness, could be administered as an outpatient with a conditional release plan.
Officials have 21 days to develop the conditional release plan, and Shawano-Menominee Circuit Court Judge William Kussel Jr. will decide if it’s acceptable.
“The report indicates he’s been doing much better since he’s been on medication,” Kussel said.
While Renel pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity on the felony counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety and fleeing/eluding officers, the earlier report did not find him mentally ill on the misdemeanor counts of resisting an officer or bail jumping. For now, the infractions will remain until the two sides can decide whether those counts will require sentencing or simply be read into the record once the felony counts are resolved.
According to the criminal complaint, the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department responded around 5:15 p.m. May 8, 2022, to reports of a heavy truck-type military vehicle on state Highway 29 in western Shawano County traveling down the roadway with a flat tire, thus causing a traffic hazard.
Deputies located and attempted to stop the vehicle, which the complaint says Renel was driving, but he reportedly led them on a short chase, coming to a stop in about a half-mile on the eastbound lane median of Highway 29 near County Road G in the Town of Seneca. The eastbound highway was shut down during the incident.
Renel would not cooperate and would not exit the vehicle. Because of comments allegedly made by Renel and the conditions of this incident, the Shawano County Special Response Team responded to the scene, according to the complaint. Deputies, including trained negotiators, communicated with Renel for about four hours; during this time, arrangements were made with the Shawano County Highway Department for the use of snowplows in case the driver tried to flee the scene.
About 9:30 p.m., Renel did just that, heading eastbound on Highway 29. Deputies tried to stop the suspect vehicle, using the snowplows in an attempt to perform a moving roadblock. The vehicle then crossed the median and began heading eastbound in the westbound lanes of the highway, according to the complaint.
Renel returned to the eastbound lanes but then again crossed the median and was driving the wrong way down the highway. At one point, Renel drove into the median and a deputy operating a snowplow was able to pin the truck into the median, immobilizing it. Renel would not exit his vehicle and had to be removed with force.
Renel is free on a $10,000 cash bond. His next court hearing is 3 p.m. June 4, where the court will look at the conditional release plan and also hold a hearing on whether Renel can regain his driving privileges. Renel has wanted to drive again, telling the court that it is difficult to find people to drive him from Cecil to Shawano for hearings.
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
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