No trial date yet for Stoker

<span style="font-weight: 400;">No trial date has yet been set for Jason M. Stoker, but the parties are believed to be close.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">In a brief case management conference on Friday, Randolph County State's Attorney Jeremy Walker stated the Illinois State Police had finally completed the accident reconstruction report from the Oct. 28 police chase, during which 22-year-old Chester Police officer and volunteer firefighter James Brockmeyer was fatally injured.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Stoker, 34, of Chester, has been charged with two counts of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, reckless homicide and first-degree murder in alleged connection with Brockmeyer's accident.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Walker said he had turned over a copy of the accident report - which he had received Tuesday night - and surveillance footage to Stoker's attorney, public defender James Kelley.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">"Subsequent for the most part, the State is ready to go (to trial)," Walker told Associate Circuit Court Judge Richard A. Brown.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Kelley requested time to review the report, as well as the surveillance footage - which is from the Midwest Petroleum gas station on the Missouri side of the Chester Bridge.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">During Stoker's preliminary hearing in December, Illinois State Police special agent Farrin Melton testified that surveillance video from the gas station allegedly showed Stoker getting into the 2006 Pontiac G6 he is alleged to have driven the night of the accident.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Stoker, who was the only stated occupant of the vehicle, then proceeded across the Chester Bridge, where Brockmeyer and another officer were waiting at the Chester Welcome Center.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Melton testified Brockmeyer - who was originally attempting to stop Stoker on suspicion of no valid driver's license - turned to follow Stoker and activated his squad car's lights and siren, after which Stoker allegedly increased his speed to between 80 and 100 mph.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Melton said Stoker was also being investigated by the Randolph County Sheriff's Office and the Chester Police Department for "possible" meth possession and distribution.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Brown approved Kelley's request and set another case management conference for Monday, April 10 at 1 p.m.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Walker was asked what was next for the State while the defense reviews the report.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">"Just wait and see," he said.</span>

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