NEWPORT, Vt. -
Continuing coverage tonight on a story we've been following since August. Roger Pion, the man accused of using a tractor to crush seven Sheriff's cars is facing a 15th charge. He was supposed to be in court at nine this morning, but his attorney had to leave court to pick him up.
It took Roger Pion about an hour to get into court this morning. After the state verified that using a tractor in the street was a form of transportation, they tacked on the new charge.
Charge number 15 is for driving with a suspended license. The prosecuting attorney says when Roger Pion lashed out at police and drove a tractor over seven Orleans County squad cars, Pion wasn't a licensed driver.
"Why they're adding such an inconsequential charge to the rest, I have no idea," Pion's attorney David Sleigh said.
Pion was scheduled to be in court at nine Tuesday morning, but as the minutes kept ticking by... Pion's attorney David Sleigh eventually left court, drove to his client's house and brought him back to avoid an arrest warrant for failing to appear.
"I'm fairly certain that he'll understand the gravity of this situation," Sleigh said.
I stopped by Pion's house to see if he had anything to say, but his mom came to the door and said they have no comment. When I talked to his attorney, he said Roger was simply confused as to whether or not he had to be in court.
Once Pion got there, the prosecution layed out the new charge. Seven of the previous charges represent each cruiser, Pion's lawyer wants them combined into one charge.
"If there's a single criminal act, you can only be punished once," Sleigh said.
"The theory of the state is that there are seven distinct destructions of property," Prosecuting attorney Alan Franklin said.
The defense attorney also tried to get rid of the charge that claims Pion put the tractor in reverse and headed toward two officers. The judge rejected the request. Sleigh says he plans to try again.
If you add up all of the time these 15 charges carry, Roger Pion could technically spend 70 years in prison.
