Court Orders Mental Evaluation Of Man Who Shot Wife
CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (CBS4) -- The man accused of shooting his pregnant wife at their home in Castle Rock Dec. 18 is in the Colorado Mental Health Institute in Pueblo. A judge ordered a mental evaluation of Trent Orendorf after several failed attempts to appear in court.
Police arrested Orendorf at his home after a 10-hour standoff. He faces charges of first and second degree assault and domestic violence.
According to the arrest affidavit, Orendorf was exhibiting erratic and unstable behavior. He was also high on cocaine when he shot his pregnant wife in the shoulder. He had lost his job the day before.
His wife, Shannon Orendorf, told investigators in the moments before the shooting her husband yelled that "people were trying to get him."
Even though she had a shotgun wound to her shoulder, she was able to call 911 from her cell phone and drive away with the couple's 3-year-old son.
Heavily-armed SWAT teams surrounded the home for the 10-hour ordeal. Orendorf shot out the windows of the home.
"We think some type of drugs may be involved, obviously the suspect seems to be very high right now," said Castle Rock Police Chief Tony Lane.
When police contacted Orendorf by phone, he told officers he was getting stronger by the minute and injecting himself with cocaine.
SWAT teams used four rounds of tear gas hoping to force him out of the home, but Orendorf did not budge.
"A lot of things come into play, someone's mental condition, potentially any substances," said Castle Rock Police spokeswoman Kim Mutchler.
Shannon Orendorf told police she didn't believe her husband intentionally shot her. She is in stable condition and recovering from the injury.
Click here to read the Trent Orendorf arrest affidavit.
