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Demian Warner / The Newport Daily Express
Police say a man drove a tractor over eight police vehicles Thursday. The damage is estimated to be about $250,000.
A man driving a farm tractor ran over eight vehicles in the parking lot of a Vermont police station in an apparent revenge scheme, according to local reports.
Police said Roger Pion, 34, of Newport, Vt., flattened seven marked police cruisers and one unmarked personal vehicle at the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department in Derby, Vt., around 12:40 p.m. Thursday.
“We came out and sure enough there was someone who had run over our cruisers with a tractor,” Chief Dep. Philip Brooks of the Orleans County Sheriff’s Dept. told WCAX.
Not only were their roofs and hoods caved in, but “the radios are ruined, the radar detectors, the cages in the cars … We’re going to have to get the jaws of life up here to pry the trunks open and see about the rifles and shotguns,” Sheriff Kirk Martin told the Associated Press.
With the vehicles crushed, police had no way to pursue Pion after he drove off in the tractor.
Demian Warner / The Newport Daily Express
Police say Roger Pion took out more than half of the sheriff department's fleet -- some of its newest vehicles were only four months old.
“It felt like I was in a Monster Jam rally or something,” witness Rene Morris told WCAX. “I just couldn’t believe it. He’s backing up, going over it, turns around, makes his way to the other vehicles smashes those up, did his business and headed right down Route 5.”
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Police eventually caught up with Pion a mile and a half from the police station and arrested him. The motive is still under investigation, but witnesses believe Pion was angry about his recent arrest for marijuana possession and resisting arrest.
Stephanie Dasaro / Vermont State Police
Police arrested Roger Pion of Newport, V.T., after the tractor incident. He also was arrested recently for marijuana possession and resisting arrest.
The damage is estimated to be about $250,000, according to police.
No one was injured. At least two deputies had gone inside a few moments before after washing their vehicles, officers said.
Brooks said the destroyed vehicles constituted more than half of the fleet of sheriff’s cruisers in the rural county on the Canadian border. The others were out on patrol. Since the incident, neighboring counties have offered their help.
“We have other county sheriff’s departments who are offering cruisers to us,” Brooks said. “We’ve already had one county that’s dropped one off to us and we’ve got two others that are on the way.”
It’s not known where Pion got the tractor but police said he comes from a farm family.
Demian Warne / The Newport Daily Express
Police don't know where Pion got the tractor from but say he comes from a farm family.
Pion was held at the Northern State Correctional Center in Newport in lieu of $15,000 bail.
He is expected to appear in Orleans County Criminal Court Friday to answer to seven counts of felony unlawful mischief, one count of misdemeanor unlawful mischief, one count of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, one count of gross negligent operation, and one count of leaving the scene of an accident.
A man driving a tractor crushes 7 police vehicles parked at a sheriff's department headquarters in Vermont. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.
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Leave a Comment:
He's gay and was on his way to the kiss-in at Chic-Fil-A but his boy friend broke up with him via text
aww champagnesabre... you'll find someone soon... break ups can be hard.. .but at least he didn't run over your car?
yay politics! - What are you, 11? What a boring sophmoric response to champagnesabres post. Try putting a little more thought and effort into a rejoinder next time.
So is this what they were referring to when they said the economy was getting"revved" up today on NBC? Sure as heck was not talking about our economy w/ unemployment rate going up and an anemic job creation number.
Hi, I'm Larry, this is my brother Darryl and this is my other brother Darryl.
Newhart was set in Vermont.
And I thought pot was supposed to mellow you out... :)
From normal everday stress, yes. From the stress 75 years of oppression, violence is long overdue.
That would explain the guy's picture.
Sure hope you don't run into someone who wants to express 75 years worth of oppression.
Man--that is one fine looking tractor!
Wow what's next for this guy when he gets out of jail tomorrow. Its going to take a lot to top this.....................I hope he had tractor insurance..............full coveage lol
What a stupid, stupid man...you are busted for a misdemeanor and you go ape-sh** and destroy 7 cop cars and their equipment? If someone is having an emergency and the cops cannot respond, yeah, some hero. You just lost your precious tractor buddy, and probably everything else. Next time, think about the consequences of your actions.
See....perfect example to those who want to ban guns.....for someone with an intent and and will they can use ANYTHING to cause damage. Luckily no one was hurt but if he really wanted to he could have run down the police head quarters like the Terminator. So logic would argue..ban guns and they will find another weapon....so what are we to do...Ban everything?????????
Boy, you in a heap of trouble!
Welcome to The State of Vermont!
"The Squad Car-Crushing Capital of America" ;-}
Is this on YOUTUBE?
Makes you want to bring back corporal punishment. This guy ought to get several lashes with a wet bullwhip in the center of the town square. With the financial pressure that local municipalities are under, this crime is especially heinous. Let's see how cute Roger thinks that is?
you mean like the governement did when Wall Street and the bankers destroyed the wealth and well being of over half the families in America the last several years!
yeah bring out those bankers into the streets and see what AMERICANS really think of them...they will most likely be stoned by sunset!
Oh yeah, them too. And not stoned with pot either.
This man needs an award. Only reason Pot is illegal is to fund the police force and corporate prison systems.
True Patriot! dude has more balls than most limp dick Americans and certainly has the right stuff just like your forefathers who fought and created this country to be free from tyranny and a fascist state!
tractors are now my all time favorite AMERICAN vehicle!
Who hasn't wanted to do this! The only thing better would be in a high speed chase and win!
Reminds me of the movie "Tank" with James Garner...
I think Congress should be called on for more Tractor Control.
Having lived in Northern Vermont (the notorious Northeast Kingdom), I can understand the logic. What I don't understand is why there were 7 marked sheriffs cruisers and 1 unmarked just sitting around. Were there any on the road? Obviously these vehicles were not needed. Farmer solves surplus vehicle problem.
He was busted for Marijuana. If the law enforcement leaves these guys alone and use their resources tracking the real criminals, then these things won't happen. I always wondered what happens when you push a person to the brink of desperation, anger and anguish. Temporary insanity.
my hero---- this guy knows how to make a point. btw. nice tractor
Okay, when are the T-shirts coming out and where can I order one?
If this was a Will Ferrell movie it would be hysterical, but somebody is going to have to pay for all this and I bet it won't be good ol' Roger.
Yes, the taxpayers just paid a quarter million dollars for one possession of marijuana arrest.
HAHAHAHA! Sounds like this guy is winning the "War on Drugs!"
Who's the moron that decided that this was an accident? No wonder they all park in the same place and go home. In NH, the sheriffs take their vehicles home so they can respond to emergencies. I guess they don't have any in this Vermont precint......or at least they didn't used to.
So, you guys see no issue with the fact that this enraged moron flattened a bunch of police vehicles because he was pissed off at being arrested? The logical response is obviouslly to get arrested again, am I right?
*sigh* And to all those who are leaving the smart comments about the war on drugs, what states do you live in? Because as a native of Vermont and a resident on New York I can tell you that cannabis has been largely decriminalized to the point where you'd have to be smoking a joint outside an elementary school for anyone to care.
Nonetheless, this guy is scum of the earth and perhaps some officer he pissed off might try to "flatten" his skull with his shiny new cruiser.
Did you get chased out of Vermont for having a "flatlander" attitude?