Popularity grows for Vt. man in cruiser incident

NEWPORT, Vt. (AP) — The popularity of a Vermont man who authorities say flattened seven police vehicles with a tractor is growing, with real and fake Facebook sites asking for donations for his defense, songs penned in his honor and a T-shirt claiming that he be freed.

Thirty-four-year-old Roger Pion of Newport pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 14 criminal charges.

Officials said Pion was angry over a recent arrest for resisting arrest and marijuana possession when he drove the tractor into the parking lot of the Orleans County sheriff's department and rolled it across the cruisers and a van. No one was injured.

Pion's been held on $50,000 bail.

The Caledonian-Record reports a "Free Roger Pion" T-shirt has a picture of a tractor crossing a sign and the words, "In Vermont, they're serious."

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Information from: The Caledonian-Record, http://www.caledonianrecord.com