Police: Suspected Drunk Driver Rams Stolen SUV Into News Van
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HOLLYWOOD (CBSMiami) – A man accused of hitting a news van was taken into custody Monday afternoon.
Slurping a beer on the ground, Travis Miller claims he hasn't done anything wrong.
He's facing a lot of accusations.
Police suspect Miller caused a wreck at 56th and Washington in Hollywood – running a red light and crashing into an NBC 6 live truck.
Detectives said they also learned the SUV Miller was allegedly driving was stolen.
"We coming down the road, I spot the car from a distance and said, 'Damn, that look like our truck!'" said a man who only identified himself as Rell.
Rell said just blocks away at a CVS, Miller jumped into the SUV that was running and tried to take off.
"I just run to the car, open the door, punch the dude in the face and grab him by the neck. I'm holding on to his neck as tight as I can so he can't really breath" Rell said. "He's trying to do anything he can to get me off of him."
He said Miller was about to drive him into another car so he let go.
"I see this dude trying to ram me into another damn car. My body ain't made of steel. I had to let him go. That's the only reason I let him go," he explained. "If that car wasn't never sitting right there, man he would have been passed out before he even got up the street.
After the crash, witnesses said Miller ducked into a store and bought a new shirt – ditching the old bloody one.
Joe Cimino said he saw him leave the crash, so he went after him.
"He tried to climb a fence, but he was too drunk to go over the fence," Cimino said.
CBS4 News was on the scene already, covering an unrelated attempted robbery at the very same gas station Miller ran into.
Crews and witnesses were videotaping as Cimino held Miller down until police arrived.
As police took Miller into custody, he cursed and used racial and homophobic slurs.
Police are charging him with possession of a stolen vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident and an open container violation. He may be charged with DUI pending test results.
No one from the NBC 6 crew was injured. Miller had a cut on his head.