Roger Pion, 34, is a very very angry farmer. Reportedly upset over an arrest last month for resisting arrest and marijuana possession, Pion drove his tractor to the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department and ran over five marked cruisers, one unmarked police car, and their van. Even though he made a slow escape, the police could not follow because that is all of the vehicles that they have.
The officers had the air conditioner running and were unaware of the mayhem outside until a neighbor called them and informed them that their cars were being systematically crushed in a private demolition derby. He racked up $300,000 in damages.
Pion is in custody facing seven counts of felony unlawful mischief and one misdemeanor count of unlawful mischief on suspicion of damaging the cars.
The sheriff noted that “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.”
Source: Daily Mail
Most folks look upon Vermont as a pastoral retreat, w/ B&B’s, ski lodges, and anique shops. Having two uncles who moved to Vermont from Ct., I got to know the state pretty well. This guy is as much a part of Vermont as the aforementioned, if not more so.
This isn’t new – in Colorado check out the 1998 mayhem in the town of Alma, http://cozine.com/1998-april/how-to-help-colorados-highest-town/,
and then another incident in the town of Granby, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Heemeyer.
Roger Pion did all this over an arrest? Was he high during his rampage? Perhaps another charge of driving while ability impaired?
Sadly, there’s a pattern where this type of destruction is more likely to happen in small towns when upset with ‘difficult’ local officials.
He plowed into the police fleet while the air-conditioner was on.
He drew the heat down on him eh?
Way to go Roger, way to go. Next time crush the radio tower.
You think this is covered under his First Amendment right of Freedom of Speech……or will his actions be counter productive…..The guy has some guts…..farmer huh…..guess he knows his herbs…..
Now if we would all do similar things when we’re overcome by authority, we might get our country back. I don’t know that what he did was justified, we haven’t heard his side of it, but I feel a cheer deep inside for the guy. Too bad for the taxpayers until he makes restitution.
Hats off to a man that puts his money where his herbs are. He did what many have fantasized. Hope he didn’t ruin his tires…..
A true American Hero!!!!!!!
Fool.
How can anybody justify this? How does his side matter? So anyone arrested for resisting arrest and drug charges has a legitimate right to destroy the property of a government agency. Is anarchy the answer? If someone disagreed with you would you agree they have a right to wreck your car as well? Is this a preferrable living arrangement?
Fool is correct. Cops need to quit being such jackasses that anarchy is even thought about. But then again, some with power of the police are arrogant.
Darren:
“How can anybody justify this? How does his side matter? So anyone arrested for resisting arrest and drug charges has a legitimate right to destroy the property of a government agency. Is anarchy the answer?”
*************************************
While no one justifies this on a rational basis there is something in the American character that reacts unfavorably to law and order especially if it perceived to be abusive or unfair. I wouldn’t call it a flaw, merely an historical gene trait traceable to the Declaration of Independence.
“He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people…” are Jefferson’s words that ring true to some people today. This was one misguided farmer making his own revolution by destroying property and not people. He was wrong — legally and ethically –but there is something somehow “American” in what he did.
It’s the proclivity of a free people to unreasonably resist authority sometimes. The English even observe a national holiday (Guy Fawkes Day) based on a failed attempt to blow up Parliament. This hard to define quality may be what caused the American colonies to rebel when other British territories merely acquiesced and paid. It was Jefferson who wrote Madison to say, “A little rebellion, now and then, is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as in the physical…it is a medicine necessary for the sound health of the government.”
Like poison, unbridled anarchy is bad, but in controlled amounts it can be used to treat what ails the body. I say punish this farmer for his deeds, but not his spirit. That spirit of refusing to submit is what keeps the big boys honest.
What mespo said.
I just want to know when the Police auction will be so I can get my hands on that Case. What a prize!
Mespo
I will concede to your view on this matter. However I would like to point out the environment under which this took place. I really do not see any evidence as to how the police of this town were oppressing Roger here.
I would prefer there to be a more clear cut line between criminality and a natural right to break free from tyrrany, the latter having respect in my view.
A small example. A man who was formerly my neighbor, now in his 70′s, told me he had been arrested once before. At first I was quite surprised knowing he has always been an upstanding person. When asked for why he told me it was in East Germany this happened because he got caught throwing rocks at Russian Tanks. Now that was an Honorable crime in my book one worthy of praise.
Yes there is certainly something in our character about these types of acts. I would hope it would be preserved by choosing battles more carefully. This one was not one of them in my view.
Darren:
I agree twith you that this was not some noble attack on the establishment over matters of great principle but to this farmer it clearly was. That’s my point: the spirit is there even if misguided in application. That’s why I’d punish the act and not the spirit that drove it. BTW your former neighbor is quite the hero.
mespo,
I wonder what he grows…..
Most cops smell.
I know what the cop’s first said when they saw the damage, “new cars for all.” Or, “think they will buy us Jeep’s now, you know they can never be driven over.”
mespo must be right for I am a very law abiding individual but I found myself smiling as I read the article … especially the bit about the air conditioner being too loud.
We ALL have a dark side..ALL OF US. That’s how I and Darren made our living.
This is hilarious. I don’t care if you agree with what happened or not, its really funny. My favorite part is the fact that they couldn’t go after him. People of Newport, speed on!
if he owned a john deere he might have gotten away. nothing runs like a deere.
and what mespo said
You would have thought the dope would have made him a tad more calm.
should of continued over to the state police
Damn. I used to work for CNH Global. Apparently they make good agricultural equipment.
I knew a guy when I was in high school and the Oregon State Police tried to take his front end loader. He went in there with his 30-06 and said no you’re not. He had to negotiate.
I’m with Bettykath and Mespo here.
Mespo, you make me swoon with your quotation at 3:26 pm: it might not have been the most dramatic of offenses by King Gorge but it was the one that probably drove the colonists around the bend and is (and has always been) my favorite of the Indictments.
These folks live in a sparsely populated county with few manifestations of county government and no county taxes. They interact with the county as a pass-through for federal and state services and the police. They are primarily farmers and they don’t live large (demographically speaking). The demographic breakdown is to me reminiscent of barely sucessful ‘hill people’, only farther North. (I come from hill people, and immigrants: good peasant stock. No insult intended or implied.)
Maybe this citizen just figured that if the county had enough resources to harass someone for smoking pot that the county just had too many resources and it was his job to fix that error. I agree. If the cops have the time and resources to harass pot smokers then the police force is too big and needs some cutting back. I’d contribute a couple of dollars to his defense/restitution fund.
From Wikipedia:
Population/Historical populations
Of the four Vermont counties bordering Canada, Orleans County is the largest. That said, all four counties have the lowest population in Vermont.
At the 2000 census[54]
People – 26,277
Households – 10,446
Families – 7,155
Population density – 15/km² (38/sq mi)
Housing units – 14,673
Density of housing units – 8/km² (21/sq mi)
The racial makeup of the county
White – 97.16%
from two or more races – 1.37%
Hispanic or Latino – 0.72%
Native American – 0.65%
Black or African American – 0.37%
Asian – 0.30%
Other races – 0.13%
Pacific Islander – 0.02%
94.5% were born in the United States. 90.58% spoke English at home, while 7.72% spoke French.[55]
Population distributionIn the county, the population was distributed by age as follows:
Under the (18 year spread) – 25.10%
From 18 to 24 (7 year spread) – 7.10%
From 25 to 44 (20 year spread) – 26.80%
From 45 to 64 (20 year spread) – 25.90%
65 years of age or older – 15.00%
The median age was 39 years.
Households and housingHouseholds – 10,446
Children under the living in household – 32.10%
married couples living together – 54.40%
Female householder with no husband present – 9.60%
Non-families – 31.50%
Individuals – 25.20%
Someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older – 10.90%
Average household size – 2.45
Average family size – 2.91
Owned their own homes – 74.1%
Lived in multi-unit dwellings – 14.9%
Average value of owner occupied homes – $78,800.
In 2004, Orleans County had the least expensive rental housing in Vermont.[60] In 2008, one-third of residential housing were used as second homes.[61]
[edit] Personal income[edit] IncomesFamily = $36,630
Household = $31,084
Males = $27,964
Females = $20,779
Per capita income = $16,518.
The guy with the 30-06 was originally from California.
Am I the only one to wonder why ALL of the Police vehicles were in the parking lot? Aren’t they called PATROL cars? Wasn’t at least one at Dunkin Donuts?
While Roger Pion was driving over the patrol cars, an unknown accomplice sledge-hammered all the Police toilets. Asked to comment, the Sheriff said, “We don’t have anything to go on.”
This man is now my hero. There will be serious consequences for his actions, as there should be, but were I a millionaire, I would pay for his defense and restitution costs. Just ‘cuz.
I am helping roger and his Family… there is more than meets the eye here… something stinks in Orleans http://www.facebook.com/RogerPionTheMagnificent?ref=tn_tnmn
I’m sure he’s more peeved about the resisting arrest than anything. The men who took part in the Boston tea party would have been hung if caught. Is there really much different?
This man is standing up for his civil liberties, one of which has been taken from us for 70 years. I would never have the guts for to do something as such, I applaud him.