Woman Arraigned in Death of Trooper

An Oklahoma woman has been formally arraigned in the death of a Missouri State Trooper in August. 29-year-old Wendye Chesher has been charged with second-degree involuntary manslaughter after she struck Trooper Jay Sampietro on Interstate-44 east of Strafford on August 17th. Prosecutors claim Chesher failed to yield to an emergency vehicle and did not slow down. The woman’s SUV swerved into the median before hitting Sampietro. She has pleaded not guilty and will appear in court again in Webster County on February 23rd.