Judge raises bail to $50,000 cash, $100K bond in fatal Barre collision
ALBION – The bail has been increased significantly for a man charged with second-degree murder in a fatal Barre crash on Feb. 8.
Noah Magee
The bail for Noah Magee was $2,500 at his initial appearance in Orleans County Court on June 12, but was raised this morning to $50,000 cash, $100,000 bond or $200,000 in a partially secured bond.
Judge Sanford Church said he reviewed the full grand jury minutes since the June 12 appearance and felt justified in the higher bail for Magee.
Magee, 19, of Brockport was driving a pickup truck the wrong way on McNamar Road on Feb. 8 when he hit Roger Kingdollar who was riding a dirt bike. Kingdollar, 24, died from the collision.
Magee was initially charged with reckless endangerment 1st degree (D felony), leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle accident (D felony) and other vehicle and traffic infractions.
After more investigation in the incident, the charges were upgraded to second-degree murder, an “A” felony with a maximum sentence of 25 years to life.
Church also reviewed video of the collision that was captured from a nearby residence.
“There is no doubt the collision caused the death,” Church said in court today.
While there wasn’t an intent to cause the death of Kingdollar, Church said Magee should still face a higher bail due to the reckless conduct. If he faced a lesser charge of manslaughter, where someone is killed without malice, the bail should also much higher than $2,500, Church said.
District Attorney Joe Cardone at the June 12 arraignment sought $250,000 in bail for Magee, saying he was a potential flight risk due to the serious charges.
After Church kept the bail at $2,500, the same amount set at the town court level before the second-degree murder charge was added, Cardone then filed a bail application, seeking a higher bail. Cardone said the new more serious charge warranted an increase in the bail amount.
Cardone today also asked that Magee’s driving privileges to be suspended, but the judge did not agree to that.
Magee’s attorney Paul Vacco interjected after Church announced the higher bail, with Vacco seeking it be $25,000.
The judge said no to Vacco.
“That is my ruling,” Church said.
Magee was then handcuffed and led out of the courtroom.