CORINTH — Vermont State Police have accused a 73-year-old Orange County man of trespassing onto his neighbor’s property and driving a four-wheeler down Cookeville Road to his own residence without permission.
But the man told police that he simply borrowed it to go grocery shopping on Friday.
David Devaux, of Corinth, faces two misdemeanors of driving the four-wheeler with a suspended license, which carries up to 2 years in prison and a $5,000 fine; and a violation of conditions of release, which carries up to six months in prison and a $1,000 fine.
Trooper Nicole Gruenewald wrote in the probable cause affidavit that she believes Devaux also committed the offenses of grand larceny, burglary, aggravated operating without consent of owner, possession of stolen property and unlawful trespass when taking the vehicle.
At about 5 p.m. on Sept. 12, state police responded to a reported theft from a Highland Place property in Corinth. The caller was out of state at the time, but said he believed Devaux showed up and stole a red four-wheeler worth $6,000 because a friend of the caller reported seeing it on Devaux’s property.
Upon arrival at Devaux’s Cookville Road property, police located the four-wheeler belonging to the caller. Devaux told police the vehicle belonged to his neighbor, but that he borrowed it the previous day around noon to help him get around, according to police.
With the neighbor being out of town and the buildings being unlocked, Devaux said he thought it’d be no problem, and that he went back to leave a note, the affidavit states.
Devaux admitted to driving to the grocery store and back to his residence, according to the affidavit, but doing so was in violation of his conditions of release for a prior DUI charge, which said he may not drive “any motor vehicle, including a car, truck or motorcycle.”
Devaux is also considered a fugitive from justice for a warrant out of New Hampshire for driving a motor vehicle on Route 10 in Orford, despite a 2022 order designating him as a habitual offender.
In Vermont, Devaux recently pleaded not guilty in two separate cases of operating a vehicle with a suspended license, one in June and one in July, court records indicate.
Upon arrest by Vermont State Police, Devaux’s bail was set at $25,000, according to police. As of Monday, he was held at Northeast Correctional Complex, with arraignments scheduled for later in the afternoon on his misdemeanor charges and fugitive from justice complaint.
