Man charged in trooper's death appears in court

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- A man charged with killing a State Highway Patrol trooper over the weekend went before a Wake County judge Thursday.

Police said Christopher Rodgers was driving a car that hit and killed Trooper Gene DeMuth during a high speed chase Saturday morning. The charges pending against Rodgers in Wake County involve an incident that police said led to the chase that killed the trooper.

Raleigh police charged him with tying up an ex-girlfriend and her infant child. After the woman freed herself, police put out a bulletin on Rodgers. When he was spotted, police gave chase.

After the chase crossed out of Wake and into Nash County, the SHP decided to use stop sticks to end the chase. As DeMuth laid the sticks on U.S. Highway 64, investigators claimed Rodgers swerved and hit Demuth, killing him instantly.

Rodgers has been charged with murder in Nash County.

A Wake County judge ran down the list of 10 charges that Rodgers faces for the crime involving his ex-girlfriend. The maximum time on those charges is more than seven years. However, the judge also considered the Nash County charge when deciding the size of Rodgers' bond.

"The bond in this case will be set at $2 million secured," said Wake County District Court Judge Ned Magnum.  

Meanwhile, a search warrant just made public said Rodgers swerved and hit Demuth and that the incident was caught on video from the dash cam of a Nash deputy's car. Apparently investigators believe the swerve may have been intentional and that's what led to the murder charge.

Rodgers was taken back to Central Prison where he is being held for safekeeping.

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nash county, wake county, homicide, local/state, ed crump

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