A man who police say caused the death of a sheriff’s deputy last July in Fannet, a city in Jefferson County, has also been indicted for a weapons violation.
Details presented in court alleged that the suspect, 38-year-old Micheal David Miller, was traveling at a high rate of speed and failed to negotiate a turn while driving his Toyota SUV on a rural road. This caused the vehicle to leave the road and land in a drainage ditch, striking off-duty Deputy James Lee, who was riding a lawnmower.
The 71-year-old sheriff’s deputy was killed on impact, according to police reports.
Officers who responded to the scene observed that Miller appeared to be intoxicated, and arrested him on a charge of intoxication manslaughter. A gun was found in the suspect’s vehicle following the crash.
On October 5, Miller was indicted by a federal grand jury for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person in connection with the incident. Miller had been banned from possessing or owning a firearm based on a prior conviction for domestic violence.
On October 12, a Jefferson County grand jury indicted Miller on the intoxication manslaughter charges.
If found guilty, Miller could face up to 15 years in prison for the firearms charge. He could face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 for the intoxication manslaughter charges. For now, he is being detained pending a detention hearing, as per a federal order issued on October 17.
