Man Injured While Trying to Stop Speeding Motorist

A Mount Pleasant man, who attempted to stop a speeding motorist without police assistance, suffered serious injuries when he was dragged by a vehicle, according to police reports.

Jeffrey Miller told police he was sick and tired of all the speeders in his Pleasant Pines neighborhood. It had been a problem over the last 27 years, the man said, so rather than calling the police, he started stopping vehicles and issuing warnings himself.

He simply stood in the street, forcing the vehicles to stop and then he'd have a face-to-face discussion with the alleged speeders, Miller told officers.

But on Dec. 9, his neighborhood patrols went terribly wrong when he attempted to reach inside and shut off a running SUV occupied by two teenagers.

Miller said he stopped the vehicle because he believed it was driving at speeds in excess of 50 mph, but the driver refused to stop. And while Miller's arm was still inside the vehicle, the young man drove off, dragging Miller for some distance.

Despite having injuries from "head to toe" that required a trip to the emergency room, officers said Miller was to blame for his injuries.

"I advised Mr. Miller that he did not have the authority to stop vehicles or to reach into other peoples' cars," the investigating officer wrote. "I advised him of the dangers of doing so, besides being dragged, such as today's outcome."

Miller said he had never contacted police about the speeding and that he preferred to handle the situation in his own "old-school" way, the report states.

Later in the day, Miller's daughter caught up with the alleged speeding motorist and alerted police. The teenage driver confirmed Miller's account, though he wasn't sure why the man was standing in the street.

The teenager said he drove off out of fear. He knew the man fell down, but was not aware of the extent of his injuries, according to the police report.

Police contacted the teenager's parents and made them aware of the situation, but there were no charges. The driver's passenger recorded the incident on his cell phone, and it confirmed their version of the story, the report states.