Roger Pion, the man who rolled his monster tractor over seven police cars, was brought into court in Vermont yesterday. According to New England Cable News, the man is “accused of being a one-man wrecking crew. “ Apparently, that’s a criminal offense in Vermont.
While the crushing perpetrator had his first day in court, an insurance adjuster made her first damage assessment. Sheriff Kirk Martin told New England Cable News the flattened Panther “are valued at $40-50,000 apiece when outfitted with radar, computers, a cage, and other gear.”
Says the news channel:
“Judge Howard VanBenthuysen ordered Pion held on $50,000 bail. If he makes bail, VanBenthuysen ordered Pion to stay in Orleans County under the supervision of his father, and ruled that he would not be able to drive vehicles, including tractors. “
Orleans County had to borrow cruisers from other police departments to keep deputies on the roads.
so now we know Silvy’s real name: Roger.
FREE SILVY!!!
[snerk] Oh, behave! [/snerk]
What does the $40-50,000 all-in price tag tell us about the cost of the radar, computers, cage and other gear?
“What does the $40-50,000 all-in price tag…?”
“Armageddon” comes to mind when Bruce Willis remarks as they are preparing for take-off that they are endangering their lives, being shot up in space in a vehicle and using equipment built by the lowest bidders.
IIRC, the line originated with Alan Shepard, one of the original Mercury 7 Astronauts.
Someone has a monopoly on vomit-proof rear seats.
In related News, Automotive Journalist Sajeev Mehta was quoted, calling this “the Crime of the Century” relating to the senseless loss of Panther based automobiles
But think of the eternity of spare parts he can get!
Someone should start a defense fund, and arrange transport for him and the tractor to the next westboro baptist church protest.
Careful Roger Pion its too late now but you don’t want anything to do with the police. They are unlucky people. When do you ever hear of a cop winning the lottery? All the tragedy and misfortune they deal with on a day to day basis can rub off in some way. I’m glad there are people who will do that job. I wouldn’t fancy my chances. Stay away.
(DATELINE Newport, VT) – Roger Pion, 34, was found dead today by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department. Mr. Pion’s body was found in the parking lot of a local Ford dealership, with a sign hanging around the neck which read “Panther 1 – Pion 0”.
An automotive journalist, Sajeev Mehta, has been arrested in connection with the slaying. Mr. Mehta surrendered last night to Orleans County sheriffs, who claim to have found Mr. Mehta in possession a bloody tire iron.
Mr. Mehta is alleged to have repeatedly blurted out “Quality is Job 1!” as he was being transported to the county jail. While he offered no resistance immediately during the arrest, Mr. Mehta reportedly refused to leave the back of the Crown Victoria patrol car upon arrival at the local jail, demanding that he be allowed to stay in the back seat in lieu of serving time in a jail cell.
Another automotive journalist, Jack Baruth, is also considered to be a suspect in the case. Law enforcement officials have made several attempts to arrest Mr. Baruth, but the department’s policies restricting high speed pursuits have hampered their efforts to apprehend the suspect.
In other news, the Commerce, Health and Treasury Departments jointly announced today that the whole of Vermont has been declared as the first Green Medical Econonimic Revitalization Zone effective Jan 1st 2013. Within this zone, any farmer can draw interest free loans through the Fed’s Credit Lending Facility for the establishment of medical marijuana growing farms. As a part of the certification and quality control process, all employees are encouraged to participate in quality control circles after leaving work.
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Actually, I think that Paul Harvey would have loved this story – a bit of “Americana”.
Shouldn’t it be “Panther 1 – Pion 7”? He took seven of the things out.
“Shouldn’t it be ‘Panther 1 – Pion 7’?”
You’ll need to ask Mr. Mehta’s attorney.
Nothing runs like a Deere.
It appears to have been a Case tractor.
It could be said that the driver was a bit of a “case” as well.
They keep saying it’s the biggest tractor. No it’s not. a Versatile is twice the size of little thing. Those cops should be lucky he didn’t own a Cat D10 . He could have taken out the building too while they were indulging in their daily donut intake and scanning ebay. . :-)
For New England, it is a monster tractor.
In Iowa, where they harvest by GPS for five mile stretches without turning the tractor around, not so much.
Well, being a avid sledder (Snowmobile). I do get some sense of sick joy out of seeing this. as it’s a well known fact that the same Sheriff’s department made it a campaign to stop ever out of stater person who was coming into the area for the weekend to go riding in the Northeast Kingdom (Island Pond, Norton, Derby, Brighton) and issued for citations for every thing under the sun.
I could remember several Friday nights a certain constable would have multiple trucks and trailers lined up issuing tickets for nothing more than a cash grab for the county.
So seeing the cruisers reduced to scrap brings a somewhat guilty smile to my face.
A prediction: Someone with a few connections with the city government/insurance company with a long term lease on a couple of large pole barns will quietly get a contract to remove the busted cars. They will be parted out and stored for long tern trickle sales to Panther fans over the next fifteen years. Better than T bonds…
I think Stephen King has the genesis of a new story here.
Public “servants” warring on the public to keep priveledge going.
We are all peon’s to them, a crop to be harvested.
It is hard to have respect for the 1/3 who now work in statal enterprises when 80% of what they do is revenue raising. Speed control laws in the name of safety is a classic example. You get busted at 5 am on a deserted road, but no one stops the fool weaving through rush hour traffic.
What about red light cameras with short yellows.
Fact is there are now so many laws you break one by just waking up and breathing. That way the “state” always has something on you.
Our founding fatehers would be more than shocked, we have a state worse than what they rebelled against.
Worst part it is not even some conspiracy, just an amorphous ameoba like mass absorbing all productive capacity and capital in its way. We buy these services under the guise of public good. Shame on us.
Pion snapped, in the end it is illogical what he did, won’t help him, but as one man’s scream and cry againsta relentless system it is to be applauded.
I am not anti goverment, it is clearly necessary and appropriate, the question is the degree, we now have a system thet perpetuates itself. Funny how iot all went down in the people state of vermont.