Miller Charged With Five Felonies
Joseph Dale William Miller is facing 10 charges, including five felonies, in district court.
Felony charges, which were filed on Thursday, May 11, include two counts of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, a count of criminal possession with intent to distribute, assault on a peace officer and use or possession of property subject to criminal forfeiture.
According to court documents, the Montana Highway Patrol observed a pickup on April 27 that was traveling faster than the posted speed limit on U.S. Highway 2. When the highway patrol attempted to catch up to the pickup, the vehicle was weaving in its lane and jerking back toward the center of the lane. The highway patrol followed the vehicle for some time and it didn’t pull over until hitting the brakes near mile marker 596. The pickup went down into the ditch before coming to a stop.
According to court documents, Miller apologized for speeding. When asked why he wasn’t driving straight, he explained that he spilled his coffee.
Another trooper arrived at the scene. Miller agreed to submit to standard field sobriety tests. When he stepped out of the vehicle, a trooper observed a small plastic baggie.
Two of six clues of impairment were observed during the horizontal gaze nystagmus.
The other trooper saw a small plastic baggie on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
After the decision was made to arrest him, officers tried to handcuff him. Miller ran toward the open door of his pickup. Officers started to struggle with Miller. He made it into the driver’s seat, hit the accelerator and rev the engine. A trooper saw an opportunity to deploy a taser on Miller. The taser connected with both probes into his left upper arm. He continued fighting and the taser was used again.
It was discovered that there were several blue/green pills that appeared to be stamped “M” on one side and “30” on the other side and suspected to be fentanyl. There also was a baggie with a purple powder and third baggie with a brown powder.
An officer asked Miller if the powder was fentanyl powder, Miller replied, “yeah, probably.”
