Man Charged with DWI and Assault with a Deadly Weapon Following Hit and Run
On July 9th, 2023 at approximately 6:00pm, Officers with the Morganton Department of Public Safety received a call regarding a hit and run on West Fleming Drive near South College Street. The suspect vehicle was reported to have struck a Blue Mustang and then proceed to ram it two additional times in an attempt to get around it to flee the scene. The vehicle was described as an early 2000’s Blue Dodge Dakota with a camper shell over the bed and a partial license plate displayed. The vehicle fled the scene before officers arrived.
Approximately three hours later, Officers were conducting patrols along East Fleming Drive when they noticed a pickup truck matching the same description at Bypass Package near the fuel pumps. Officers checked the vehicle and found matching damage and the same partial license plate displayed. Officers were able to identify Stephen Mickeal Miller, 51, of Morganton, as the driver of the vehicle. After a subsequent investigation was completed, Public Safety Officers arrested Miller and charged him with the following:
- Driving While Impaired
- Driving While License Revoked
- Hit and Run
- Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid a Collision
- Assault with a Deadly Weapon
A driver’s license history check of Miller revealed that he had six (6) previous convictions of Driving While Impaired in four different counties. Miller’s vehicle was seized due to his license being currently revoked for an impaired driving revocation. Miller was transported to the Burke County Magistrate’s Office where he received a $1,000 secured bond. Miller’s first district court appearance is scheduled for August 11th, 2023.
