Mike Donoghue

Free Press Staff Writer

©2014 Burlington Free Press

A Lamoille County sheriff's deputy has been suspended without pay while the authorities investigate allegations of domestic abuse.

Corey Davis, 26, of Johnson is the focus of the investigation, according to Vermont State Police Lt. James Whitcomb and Lamoille County Sheriff Roger Marcoux.

"As soon as I learned of it, he was suspended without pay," Marcoux told the Burlington Free Press on Tuesday. He said Davis' police gear, including guns, were seized. "This is a situation that we take very serious. It could result in termination."

Marcoux said he called in state police to do an independent investigation.

A 22-year-old Lamoille County woman obtained a relief from abuse order against Davis on Sunday night following an incident at a residence that she shared in Johnson with the sheriff's deputy, records show.

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Judge Dennis Pearson agreed Tuesday to extend the Vermont Family Court order until at least Wednesday pending a hearing in Burlington, records show.

Ron Perelman, a Stowe lawyer representing Davis, said his client plans to fight the allegations.

"We are preparing for a hearing," Perelman said.

Pearson, based on court filings, ruled that Davis had abused the woman, attempted to cause physical harm and placed her in fear of imminent serious physical harm, the court order said. The judge also ruled there was an "immediate danger of further abuse."

As of Tuesday afternoon, Chittenden County State's Attorney T.J. Donovan said he was not planning on filing a criminal charge based on the evidence that had been presented to his office as of Monday night.

He said his office thought there was "insufficient evidence" to file a criminal charge. The domestic-violence prosecutor in Donovan's office reviewed a proposed four-page Vermont State Police affidavit outlining a Sunday night incident.

The Burlington Free Press requested a copy of the four-page affidavit Tuesday under Vermont's public-records law, but the document had not been provided by close of business.

A court clerk, meanwhile, said the sworn complaint filed Sunday by the woman outlining what she said happened would be unavailable until after Wednesday's hearing.

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Donovan said it was unclear if it was an accident when the woman's foot was slammed in a door. He said there was some question about whether Davis intended to follow through on verbal threats.

The Lamoille County State's Attorney's Office, in an effort to avoid a possible conflict of interest, said prosecutors sent the investigative file to Donovan without looking at the material.

Sheriff Marcoux said there also will be an internal investigation, and, depending on the findings, Davis could face a hearing or be restored to his old job if no violations are found. If reinstated, Davis would receive back pay, Marcoux said.

Davis was appointed to the patrol division at the Lamoille County Sheriff's Department in August 2008. He later moved into the dispatch center in September 2009 and resumed road patrols in October 2012.

Davis also is a member of the Vermont Air National Guard, officials said.

Lt. Whitcomb said the state police received the complaint at about 9:45 p.m. Sunday and assigned Sgt. Bob Lucas and Trooper James Fox to the case.

Lucas served the relief-from-abuse order on Davis at about 3 a.m. Monday, records show.

Pearson's order also directed the state police to confiscate all weapons from Davis and required the sheriff's deputy to vacate the Johnson residence. He also is required to stay at least 500 feet away from the woman and from the residence.

Contact Mike Donoghue at 660-1845 or mdonoghue@freepressmedia.com. Follow Mike on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FreepsMikeD.