Springfield pen knife flashing leads to felony charge

A Springfield woman who police say admitted she flashed a pen knife during an argument in front of the Turning Point Club a month ago is now facing a felony charge as a result.

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Springfield pen knife flashing leads to felony charge Argument took place on Main Street in front of the Turning Point Monday, June 26, 2017 Eric Francis Vermont News Subscribe WHITE RIVER JUNCTION - A Springfield woman who police say admitted she flashed a pen knife during an argument in front of the Turning Point Club a month ago is now facing a felony charge as a result. Suzanne Symonds, 49, pleaded innocent this past week to a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon before she was released from the courthouse in downtown White River Junction on an unsecured $5,000 appearance bond. Springfield Police Officer Logan DeFelice said he responded to Main Street late on the afternoon of March 21st for an altercation that was taking place outside of an AA meeting which was underway at the Turning Point. DeFelice said that when he arrived he was met by Bruce Voncollenberg who stated that the argument had been over cigarettes that he'd previously borrowed from Symonds. Voncollenberg told the officer that he walked outside during a break in the meeting for a smoke and Symonds confronted him about supposedly owing her two packs of cigarettes. Voncollenberg said he told Symonds that he owed her one pack, not two, at which point “Symonds got mad and said that she would spread it around that he did not repay her and that he wouldn’t be able to get any more cigarettes from anyone,” Officer DeFelice wrote in an affidavit filed with the court. DeFelice said that Voncollenberg admitted to calling Symonds a derogatory name “and that was when she came after him, punching him a half dozen times in the face and arm,” DeFelice recounted, adding “Voncollenberg stated that he blocked one punch and then Symonds pulled a knife out, unlocked the blade halfway and then closed it.” “Voncollenberg told Symonds that she was going to jail and then called the police department,” according to the interview. When Symonds was interviewed a couple of minutes later, DeFelice said she gave him a similar account but claimed it was Voncollenberg who initially took a swing at her after which, Symonds said, Voncollenberg began insulting her. “So I went towards him and pushed him and hit him on the head. He kept calling me names and I told him he is a liar and that he would never get any cigarettes or anything again,” Symonds wrote in her own sworn statement about the confrontation. After what Symonds said was additional name calling, she told police, “I took the pocket knife I have in my pocket and said to him that if he says anything else I will use it on him. I pushed him and tried to kick him again while he was calling me all those names. Then I went back into the AA meeting and did not see him again.” Symonds faces a maximum potential penalty of up to 5 years in jail if she were to be convicted of the felony charge now pending against her. Suzanne Symonds, 49, of Springfield is facing a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon Vermont News can be contacted at vermontnews802@gmail.com