Woman Killed When Drunk-Driving Former Wrestling Coach Hits Buggy (Lancaster County)
The driver is a former local wrestling coach, and this isn’t his first time on the wrong side of the law (more on that below).
Police determined that Danial Ranck Miller, 33, was under the influence of drugs and alcohol when he struck a buggy yesterday outside Gap, PA, ejecting and killing the woman driving it. From Lancaster Online:
Danial Ranck Miller, 33, of Berks County, is charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence and four related charges following a Wednesday afternoon crash in the 4000 block of Strasburg Road in Salisbury Township.
State police said Miller was driving a Dodge Caravan minivan eastbound when he struck the rear of a horse and buggy, killing the 65-year-old female driver. The woman was ejected from the carriage and pronounced dead at the scene.
The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for additional information about the woman.
The horse pulling the carriage died in the crash, according to Public Information Officer Trooper James Grothey.
This happened at 1:30 in the afternoon, so here you have someone who didn’t just have one-too-many after a party (not that that makes it any better), but who was intoxicated in the middle of the day.
Failed To Register as a Sex Offender; Was Due To Plead Guilty This Month
More on Miller’s previous legal problems:
Miller is a former assistant junior high school wrestling coach at Pequea Valley School District. In 2017, he was charged with sexually assaulting two teenage girls at a hotel during a high school wrestling tournament.
He faced charges including institutional sexual assault, intercourse with a student, corruption of minors, and unlawful contact with a minor.
Miller pleaded guilty to the charges later that year and was sentenced to up to 23 months in prison.
Miller had also failed to register as a sex offender on two occasions and was due to plead guilty to failure to register later this month – just three weeks from now.
Would that guilty plea have led to him losing his freedom for some time? From what I can tell, failure to register can result in prison time.
And in this case it would have been a good thing if he were in prison, maybe getting himself sorted out, rather than behind the wheel under the influence of who-knows-what. Obviously someone who shouldn’t be driving. And now a woman is dead because of it.
We don’t know much on the victim, besides her age and gender. None of the several reports I’ve seen have even 100% identified her as Amish, though given the location and circumstances, that is a safe bet (the county’s buggy-driving Old Order Mennonites live in a different part).
But assuming she’s an Amish woman in her 60s, it’s likely many people in a large extended family have just lost a mother, sister, grandmother…
Former Wrestling Coach . . .
Only three weeks to go before entering a guilty plea on another matter?? I’d say he’d decided to have one last “Hurrah!” and had started drinking the day/night BEFORE the crash (that’s just my guess). And now an innocent woman is dead. Sounds like he can add ‘vehicular homicide’ to his repertoire. What he did was no “accident”. Rather, it was a “choice”!!
Buggy Accident
This guy should get life in prison for vehicle manslaughter because he knew what he was doing before he got in his car that he was in the wrong and he just didn’t seem to care. If he had cared, he would’ve been in drug and alcohol counseling. Or at least the judge should throw the book at him. This is a tragic situation that didn’t have to be.
Buggy Accident
Makes me sick, clowns like this always get two life senteces avalibale for poroal in three weeks
Happening to much!
This is so very sad, what is wrong with people driving under the influence it is happening to much. I feel so bad for these people who lost a family member. I think people who do drugs or drink and drive should be punished to the limit.
Marty R.
A Plea
It’s a comfort to know that the many Amish people suffering from this senseless tragedy know where their Hope is found.
Daniel Miller, together with them a victim of his poor choices, probably does not have this consolation. Thirty-three years into life, he has turned his future into horror.
I am praying for the family and friends of this lady whose life was abruptly taken; I am also praying for Danial Miller, who is in need of help that only God can supply. I encourage others to do so as well
Can get prison
Frankly, “Can get prison time”, is the bottom line. Charges are often dropped or reduced before the subject goes to trial. Now if convicted, judges very often use the sentence on the low end, and even if they are convicted of multiple offenses, the sentences run concurrently. Prisons are overcrowded, and very often, even if sent to prison, sentences are reduced again to alleviate crowding. Unless the state is willing to build alot more prisons, sentences will continue to be light and ineffective in protecting the public.
Prayers
Prayers for this innocent woman. Hopto society.
will keep this man in jail and not just a slap on the wrist. He is a danger to society.
Another Amish killed
When will it stop????? Drinking/drugs not being careful of the Amish transportation? They are human beings i use to drive for them so very kind. If a buggy is in front of you common sense slow down put your four ways on . Do you know how many children have been killed as well???the Amish are human beings too!!!!