Thoughts and best wishes to the family

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CHP officer killed in Livermore crash


CHP officer killed in Livermore crash
Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer

Saturday, November 17, 2007


(11-17) 12:52 PST LIVERMORE --

A California Highway Patrol officer was killed when he crashed into a tree in Livermore during a search to find a suspected drunk driver, authorities said today.

Officer John Miller, 32, was driving south on North Livermore Avenue about a mile north of Interstate 580 when he crashed his Ford Crown Victoria into a tree at about 9:15 p.m. Friday after losing control on a sharp curve, said CHP Officer Steve Creel.

Miller and other CHP officers were searching for a suspected drunken driver when the collision occurred, the CHP said. It was dark, and the two-lane rural road is not lit.

CHP dispatchers lost contact with Miller, and a motorist later reported that his car had crashed into a tree, Creel said.

Miller crashed on a part of the road where it curves sharply to the right and descends, Creel said. The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the CHP's Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team.

Livermore police located the drunken driving suspect, Luis Solano, 21, on eastbound I-580 near Greenville Road, and Solano was arrested by the CHP on suspicion of DUI, evading police and driving without a license, authorities said.

A Lodi resident, Miller joined the CHP office in Dublin in April shortly after graduating from the six-month CHP Academy in West Sacramento. He leaves behind his wife, Stephanie, a son and a daughter.

Miller is the first Dublin CHP officer to die on duty since 1991, when the office was established, Creel said.

"It's law enforcement," CHP Sgt. Les Bishop said today. "You have danger coming at you at all angles at every time. It shows the dedication of every single officer, because we all know the job is dangerous-but when you love the job, it doesn't really matter."

In a statement today, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he and his wife, Maria Shriver, "join all Californians in mourning the loss of Officer Miller, who gave his life in the line of duty while honorably protecting his fellow citizens."

I met Officer Miller a few months ago to report a reckless driver. I'm familar with the road he died on which is normally patroled by helicopters do to it is very narrow in some parts and some very sharp turns and no lights and goes through several miles of farm lands not a very safe road to drive during the day much less at night.