Slate Belt police chief who crashed truck into house out after reaching settlement agreement with township

Washington Township’s embattled police chief, who in January crashed his truck into a house on the way home from a local bar, will step down after reaching a settlement agreement with the municipality.

Supervisors approved the settlement Wednesday night, which would pay former Chief Scott Miller $15,000, which is equal to less than three months pay, accrued and unused paid time off. He will also be reimbursed for two-and-a-half months of COBRA payments, if he elects to enroll in that health insurance program.

“Under the agreement, the township will conclude this matter immediately, receive a release of claims, avoid potential lengthy litigation and further attorney fees,” said a prepared statement sent by Bethlehem labor law Attorney John Harrison.

“This agreement lets us put this unfortunate matter behind us and focus on making this township the best it can be,” the statement says.

Miller didn’t return a phone call for comment Thursday. It wasn’t immediately clear who would take over the role of Washington Township Police Chief, though supervisors previously said the department’s next highest-ranking officer, Sgt. James Krome, would be performing the chief’s duties during Miller’s absence.

Last month, supervisors voted to place Miller on unpaid leave as they tried to determine his future with the department. Miller was also suspended from his part-time police officer job in Roseto Borough earlier this month.

As of Thursday morning, Roseto Mayor Joseph Angelini said Miller remains on suspension and it wasn’t yet clear if he would be removed from the part-time job.

Miller’s troubles started after a Jan. 6 crash when he ran off the road and totaled his truck, nearly flipping it off Kesslersville Road in Plainfield Township after a dusting of snow. The vehicle was so damaged, a second tow truck had to be dispatched to remove it. It was the tow truck company -- not Miller -- that called police around 1:15 a.m.

Northampton County District Attorney Terry Houck’s office investigated the crash and charged Miller for failing to report an accident and driving at an unsafe speed for road conditions.

Miller was at a Forks Township bar before the crash, but authorities lacked evidence to show whether he was drunk at the time.

The crash destroyed landscaping and sheared off an outdoor pipe to a pellet stove at the property of resident Michael Drosnock.

Miller did not report the damage to Drosnock, who was wearing earplugs at the time and slept through the crash. Drosnock said repairmen who came to fix the pellet stove said the damage could have risked his safety.

Houck criticized two Slate Belt Regional police officers’ investigation at the scene, saying it appeared to be “inadequate.”

The responding officers reported a faint odor of alcohol on Miller, Houck said. Miller, who was chewing tobacco, had slightly slurred speech that appeared to improve as his interaction with the officers progressed, Houck said. Miller twice denied drinking before the wreck and downplayed damage at the scene.

Houck said Miller was not given a portable alcohol breath test or other field sobriety tests -- a decision that infuriated Drosnock.

Houck said there was no evidence that Miller tried to bully or intimidate the officers on scene. In fact, in the audio recorded, Houck said, Miller didn’t appear to mention his post as Washington Township chief at all.

Morning Call reporter Christina Tatu can be reached at 610-820-6583 or [email protected].

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