More details released as JPD investigate Onslow Sheriff's single-car incident

Feb. 24—More details were released regarding an early February incident involving Onslow County Sheriff Hans Miller. As those details came in, Jacksonville Police Chief Mike Yaniero said his department has initiated an investigation into the incident.

Onslow County District Attorney Ernie Lee made the announcement Tuesday afternoon after Chief Yaniero reached out on Monday regarding the accident Sheriff Miller was believed to be in. Miller and Onslow County Manager Sharon Russell confirmed the incident, which took place on Feb. 9.

Yaniero informed Lee JPD would investigate the incident and send the results of the investigation to him. However, due to the working relationship between Lee and Miller, the DA will instead send the findings to District Attorney Billy West of Cumberland County.

"I believe it appropriate to have a prosecutor from another district who has not worked with Sheriff Miller review the findings of the investigation," Lee said, who reached out to West personally. On Tuesday, the Administrative Office of the Courts assigned West to review the matter when the investigation is complete.

West confirmed he has received the report from JPD but has not reviewed the information as of Wednesday morning.

RELATED: Onslow County Sheriff Hans Miller to personally pay for county vehicle's damages

What we know

The Daily News first contacted Onslow County on Friday after receiving reports of Miller's involvement in a single-car incident in early February. Russell confirmed the incident and was only able to give a few details. She went on to say the county did not have a report of the incident and would not require one due to Miller offering to pay for the damages to his county-issued vehicle out of pocket.

However, on Monday, the county provided The Daily News with an incident report.

In the report, the location of the incident is listed as N. Plain Road and Northwest Circle, just off of Western Boulevard in Jacksonville. The date is listed as Feb. 9 and the time of the incident is noted as 6:30 p.m. On Friday, Miller declined to provide the exact information of where the incident took place and what time.

Explaining the incident to The Daily News, Miller said he was driving on Western Boulevard some time after dark when he cut a corner a little too short, damaging his county-issued vehicle, a 2019 Dodge Durango, on an adjacent road. Miller did not disclose how the damage was made, but the report revealed it was done by hitting a fire hydrant Miller says was "too close to the road".

The incident caused approximately $3,674.21 worth of damages.

Miller explained that money will come out of his own pocket. "I take responsibility for the damages and will repair them on my own dime. I cut the corner a little too short and caused some superficial scratches."

Miller added he reported the incident to the county the next day, however, there is not a date on the report The Daily News received from Russell. According to the report, no one witnessed the incident and Miller was not injured. His explanation for the crash was there was limited visibility due to the windshield fogging up.

This is the second time in three years Miller has damaged his county-issued vehicle. In Sept. 2018 during Hurricane Florence, Miller's 2015 Ford Explorer was flooded by running water on Piney Green Road near Regalwood Drive. His car remained completely submerged for two days before the waters receded.

The county replaced Miller's vehicle, which cost them $34,000.

According to the county's vehicle policy, the driver must use the car strictly for county business. In accordance with federal and state law, an employee may not use a county-owned vehicle for personal use other than commuting.

Any employee operating or riding in a County vehicle or other motorized equipment must operate the vehicle or equipment in accordance with the county's safety policy, wear seat belts when driving, comply with the county's cell phone policy and refrain from smoking at all times. Failure to operate county vehicles or motorized equipment as prescribed by policies, procedures, work rules, or federal and state law, may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

Russell also released how county employees are expected to maintain county property during employment, as they are expected to maintain the property in a proper and safe working condition. They are also required to report any loss or damage to their supervisor immediately.

Employees may be held responsible for assigned county property that is lost or damaged due to negligence, misuse, or abuse. The employee's supervisor or the department head will decide if the employee is responsible for replacement or repair cost and the cost may be deducted from the employee's pay.

Russell confirmed the county is not paying anything related to the damages from the incident or filing insurance because Miller was not required to make an official report after offering to pay for the damages himself. When asked if the county would pay for the damages if Miller made an official incident report, Russell said "no".

UPDATE: Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 2:30 p.m.

Sheriff Miller released a statement Wednesday afternoon detailing the incident and accepting responsibility for the damage.

In the statement, he said there was a political meeting during the evening of Feb. 9 which he was expected to attend. After leaving the office, he drove his (county) issued vehicle directly to where the meeting was being held, which was on a side street adjacent to Western Boulevard extension, in Jacksonville.

After hitting the fire hydrant, Miller added he got out of the car to observe the damages to the car and fire hydrant. The statement detailed what was previously reported by The Daily News, to which Miller said he continued on the road and attended the meeting after seeing no damages to the fire hydrant.

"I believed that the damage to my (county) issued vehicle was less than a "reportable incident" and observing no other damage to any other object, I continued into the parking lot, parked my vehicle and attended the meeting. The meeting was well attended by citizens and I spoke to some. I left the meeting & drove directly to my residence," Miller said in his statement.

The statement finished by Miller saying no further comments are necessary.

Reporter Trevor Dunnell can be reached by email at [email protected]. Please consider supporting local journalism by signing up for a digital subscription for as little as $1 a month. JDNews.com.subscribenow

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