Two men from out of the area were charged in connection with a bizarre early May incident in rural Monroe County. 

At about 1:45 a.m. May 7, Monroe County Sheriff’s Department deputies were dispatched to the area of B Road near Merrimac Road north of Valmeyer for a report of shots being fired. A deputy arrived on scene within eight minutes and observed a vehicle that appeared to be driving through a field. Once it returned to the roadway, the deputy stopped the vehicle.

As this deputy was standing at the driver’s side door of the vehicle to speak with its two occupants, the driver fled from the stop. The deputy was able to read the Oklahoma license plate to dispatchers. 

This vehicle fled only a short distance before crashing into a ditch after the driver failed to make the turn on B Road near Reichmann Road.  

At this time, police said the driver exited the vehicle with an AR-15 pistol in his hands but threw it into weeds after the deputy gave verbal commands to drop the weapon. Additional deputies and officers from neighboring police agencies responded to assist.  

The driver and passenger were transported by Monroe County EMS to a St. Louis area hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash.   

Deputies were able to identify both occupants prior to them being transported to the hospital, but both fled once they arrived at the hospital.  

In addition to an AR-15, deputies located a 100-round double drum barrel for an AR-15, a Glock 19 handgun with three magazines, six ounces of cannabis and more than $2,500 in cash. 

On May 10, Monroe County States Attorney Ryan Webb charged Eric A. Woodcock, 37, of Joplin, Mo., and Trai D. McMillen, 37, of Tulsa, Okla., with armed violence, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, and possession of a firearm with defaced serial number. Woodcock was also charged with fleeing and attempting to elude police. 

Judge Jeremy Walker set bond at $500,000 for both men. 

With assistance from the U.S. Marshals, McMillen was apprehended in Oklahoma and Woodcock was apprehended in Dupo on May 19.  

Woodcock was transported to the Monroe County Jail, where he remains in custody. McMillen is in custody in Oklahoma, awaiting extradition to Monroe County.