NEWPORT — Roger Pion, the man accused of crushing seven police cruisers after driving over them monster truck style with a large farm tractor, will not face prosecution for his alleged crimes.
On Tuesday, State’s Attorney Alan Franklin and defense attorney Chandler Matson both agreed that Pion was insane at the time of the incident. This will most likely eliminate the criminal charges against him.
In the time leading up to the trial, Dr. Albert Drukteinis found that Pion lacked the mental capacity to fully appreciate the wrongfulness of his actions when the crime was committed. Dr. Robert Linder, the state’s expert in the case agreed to this assessment.
Earlier, Pion had pleaded not guilty, and at one point was ruled to be incompetent to stand trial. He was hospitalized in January, but after another evaluation he was deemed competent again. He is currently being treated on an outpatient basis.
Pion will undergo another evaluation before a hospitalization hearing that should move forward in about 60 days.
He is still subject to conditions of release, and ordered to pay $195,000 in damages to the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.
