Gravestones damaged when man flees police

Friday, June 21, 2013

Separate calls of a possible drunk driver and a stolen car turned out to be one and the same Wednesday evening. The resulting pursuit resulted in a car into two gravestones and a Greencastle man in jail.

At approximately 8:15 p.m. Putnam County Dispatch notified Greencastle City Police of a possible drunk driver southbound on Locust Street. About the same time, Sgt. Gregg Slover of the Putnam County Sheriff's Department received a call about a stolen vehicle complaint.

Soon thereafter, dispatchers advised the two complaints were probably the same vehicle.

GPD Officer Eric Vaughn located the vehicle and attempted to make a stop. However, the driver, later identified as 43-year-old Timothy Miller, fled south on Cemetery Road.

Miller then drove into Forest Hill Cemetery, ultimately wrecking the vehicle into two gravestones.

He then tried to flee Officer Vaughn and Deputy Josh Boller on foot, but Vaughn was able to apprehend him.

During the investigation, the officers observed that Miller was having difficulty speaking and keeping his balance and that his eyes were extremely bloodshot.

Boller said that during the investigation, Miller tried to bargain with officers, saying he would tell them where a marijuana grow was taking place in exchange for letting him go.

Throughout the process, Miller had trouble completing any of the field sobriety tests and was generally uncooperative with Deputy Boller.

After being transported to the Putnam County Jail, Miller eventually submitted to a portable breath test, which rendered a result of .211 percent blood alcohol content.

While Boller and Vaughn were responding to the drunk driving call, Sgt. Slover was investigating the stolen vehicle.

The complainant John Vermillion told the deputy that while he was taking a shower, Miller took the ignition key for Vermillion's 2002 Pontiac Sunfire from its key ring and left in the vehicle without his permission.

Vermillion said he called the police because he knew Miller was extremely intoxicated and had no idea where he may be going.

After the vehicle was located, damages were estimated at approximately $1,500.

Slover's reported an unkown amount of damage to the gravestones. However, speaking to the Banner Graphic on Friday morning, cemetery superintendent Ernie Phillips said the damage was minimal and the stones had already been moved back into place before 9 a.m.

Miller was booked into the Putnam County Jail at 9 p.m. Thursday, charged with auto theft, operating while intoxicated/refusal, operating while intoxicated causing endangerment, driving with a suspended license with a prior conviction, criminal recklessness with a vehicle, resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, resisting law enforcement and cemetery mischief.

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  • Good job officers! Hopefully this "frequent flyer" gets locked up for a longer time.

    -- Posted by Geologist on Sat, Jun 22, 2013, at 6:54 AM
  • The cemetery gates should have been closed at 7pm...per cemetery rules and regulations!!

    -- Posted by pat46105 on Sat, Jun 22, 2013, at 3:58 PM
  • Do you know why there is a wall and gate at Forest Hill cemetary? People are just dying to get in!!

    -- Posted by donantonioelsabio on Mon, Jun 24, 2013, at 8:53 AM
  • And all over putnam county, pot growers are hiding their stashes before Tim rats them out.

    -- Posted by Clovertucky on Mon, Jun 24, 2013, at 11:15 AM
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