By BOB MARTIN
Eagle Times Staff
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — A Springfield man was recently arrested for violating conditions of release after he crashed a vehicle into a telephone pole while he was driving illegally.
According to a release by the Springfield Police Department, on Dec. 16 at 12:48 p.m., officers were dispatched to Park Street for the report of a single motor vehicle crash into a telephone pole.
The vehicle was being operated by Orion Pfenning, 29, of Springfield, and an investigation found that he had active sets of conditions of release that prohibited him from driving.
Pfenning was issued a criminal citation to appear in the Vermont Superior Court, Criminal Division, Windsor Unit, on Feb. 18 at 8:30 p.m. to answer for the crime of Violation of Conditions of Release.
Pfenning was also arrested on Dec. 3 when Springfield Police officers conducted a traffic stop where he was a passenger in the vehicle. He was known to have an active arrest warrant and was taken into custody without incident.
Documents provided by Windsor County Criminal Court show that on Sept. 17, Pfenning was arraigned and faced two misdemeanor charges of violation of conditions of release, a felony charge of possession of brass knuckles, and felony possession of a dangerous or deadly weapon while committing a felony.
On Aug. 1, a Chester Police officer pulled over a vehicle driven by Pfenning, as the officer knew he had a suspended license. The officer stated in the affidavit that he had dealt with Pfenning two times before, and both were at scenes of suspected drug overdoses with one instance involving him.
After being pulled over, Pfenning was detained, and he told the officer he had a loaded handgun in a holster on his body. When searching him, the officer allegedly found “black metal knuckles,” which are like the commonly known brass knuckles but with different metal.
The officer found the pistol loaded with a 9 mm round in the chamber and a loaded magazine with 17 rounds. The report stated that since Pfenning had a pending felony charge from May 12, 2022, it is a felony for him to have received a firearm. The gun, which was a Glock 17, was seized by the officer and Pfenning was arrested.
On July 18, 2023, Pfenning was arraigned and faced the charge of operating with a suspended license, which is a misdemeanor. An affidavit provided by the court showed that on May 24, 2023, Pfenning was pulled over for allegedly using a cell phone while driving. The officer observed several folding knives on Pfenning, and inside the vehicle, during the traffic stop. It was also found that Pfenning had a suspended license, and he was arrested.
Another probable cause affidavit shows that Pfenning was arraigned on May 17, 2022, and faced a felony charge of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs other than alcohol, resulting in serious bodily injury to someone other than the operator. He also faced misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence of a drug other than alcohol; operating a vehicle in a grossly negligent manner; and operating a vehicle in a negligent manner resulting in serious bodily injury to someone other than the operator.
Court documents show that on March 5, 2022, Vermont State Police responded to an accident on Interstate 91 where Pfenning and another occupant were ejected from a Subaru Impreza. Responding officers found the car 50 feet down an embankment in the wood line. The vehicle allegedly had no license plates, but there were about 20 Vermont license plates scattered around the vehicle in the snow. Police reported that this was an indication that the car was stolen.
A witness at the scene said that Pfenning was driving and it appeared he must have fallen asleep behind the wheel because he nearly hit the guardrail before crashing. Another witness said the vehicle was swerving and traveling at a high rate of speed.
The officer at the scene spoke with a female passenger who said Pfenning was driving. The officer then spoke with Pfenning, who admitted to driving. Pfenning allegedly declined to have been drinking but when asked about using “heroin, crack, cocaine, marijuana,” he said “sure, all of the above.” He later said he used two bags of heroin that morning.
On March 15, 2022, a search warrant was executed for the vehicle and there were 18 Vermont plates; five bags containing small amounts of suspected fentanyl, an ammo box with 80 rounds of .45 ACP ammunition; two bags with white powder that was sent to the state lab for testing; five bags of suspected fentanyl; 33 other bags of small amounts of suspected fentanyl; five crack pipes with residue; 10 pieces of aluminum foil with burnt residue.
On March 28, 2022, the toxicology report came back for Pfenning and his blood work showed traces of methamphetamine, amphetamine, cocaine, benzoylecgonine, fentanyl, norfentanyl, diazepam and nordiazepam.
