WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A 50-year-old Bethel man is being held without bail following a domestic dispute over the weekend in Tunbridge where he allegedly fired a gun at two people while children were present.
Richard Boles, who was already facing weapon-related charges in Windsor County, was arraigned on Tuesday in Orange Superior Court on multiple charges, including aggravated domestic assault, in connection with the incident on Sunday in Tunbridge. Boles allegedly fired several shots at his partner, India Tweedie, while chasing her around the yard of her brother’s home.
At a Tuesday arraignment, a judge in Orange County ordered Boles held without bail pending a hearing on Wednesday in Windsor County, where prosecutors requested a review of Boles’ bail in light of the charges in Orange County.
“(There is) a consistent pattern of behavior of Mr. Boles being willing to use deadly weapons in situations that don’t require or invite it,” Windsor County State’s Attorney David Cahill said at Wednesday’s hearing.
Prior to the Tunbridge incident, Boles had been out in the community on conditions of release in Windsor County since his arraignment in March on allegations that he fired a muzzleloader at Daniel Chandronnet, 28, on Boles’ Gage Road property in Bethel.
Boles allegedly shot at Chandronnet in December after Chandronnet arrived to help Tweedie with a broken-down vehicle, according to an affidavit. Boles had told Chandronnet to leave and alleged that Chandronnet had been “messing around with his girlfriend,” the affidavit states. Chandronnet wasn’t injured.
One of the conditions placed on Boles in March was that he not possess any deadly or dangerous weapons.
Boles has pleaded not guilty to all charges in both cases.
In arguing on Wednesday that he should remain free on bail, Boles’ attorney, Jordana Levine, said the two cases come with their own set of facts that shouldn’t have a bearing on each other.
In addition, Levine argued, there are questions about what type of “device” Boles fired. (In both cases, Boles claims to have fired a pellet gun, but witnesses said he used a muzzleloader in Bethel and a handgun in Tunbridge.)
Levine also argued that there are conditions that can be put in place, such as a 24-hour curfew, to ensure the public’s safety pending the outcome of both cases, Levine said.
In the end, Windsor Superior Court Judge Michael Harris sided with the state. In his ruling, he noted Boles is a habitual offender with an extensive criminal record, including six felonies, and that during the incident in Tunbridge, he is alleged to have also fired in the direction of Tweedie’s 28-year-old brother, Brian Moore, and two of his children.
“The court is concerned about the reasonable protection of the public,” Harris said. “I think that the pattern that has occurred is troubling.”
Regardless of whether Boles is alleged to have shot a pellet gun or a firearm, Harris said, both fall into the category of a dangerous weapon that he was barred from possessing.
According to an affidavit filed in court, the Sunday incident in Tunbridge unfolded around 5:15 p.m. when Boles arrived at Moore’s Clarksville Road home after Tweedie had left Boles’ residence following a domestic dispute; Boles told police he went to the home to retrieve some of his belongings taken by Tweedie.
Boles allegedly shot at Tweedie and in the direction of the children several times while chasing her outside the home, according to the affidavit, which prompted Moore to retrieve a gun from his vehicle.
Boles then fired in Moore’s direction, and Moore returned fire, according to the affidavit.
Boles then left the property, according to the affidavit. No one was injured.
Vermont State Police Trooper Jeremy Lyon filed a supplemental affidavit in Boles’ Windsor County case on Wednesday, which states that Boles is the target of “several ongoing drug-related investigations.”
Lyon, who is a so-called drug recognition expert, which is an officer who has special training to test for drug impairment, said police believe Boles was under the influence of central nervous system stimulants during various interactions with them, according to the affidavit.
In answering Lyon’s allegation, Levine, the defense attorney, questioned the overall reliability of drug recognition experts.
“(There is) plenty of concern that a lot of that is junk science,” she said.
It wasn’t immediately clear when Boles was due back in either courthouse. He is being held at Southern State Correctional Facility in Springfield, Vt.
Jordan Cuddemi can be reached at jcuddemi@vnews.com or 603-727-3248.