January 2023 Blues Vol 39 No. 1

AROUND THE COUNTRY yrs.

AROUND THE COUNTRY yrs. MAURY COUNTY,TN. Deputy Brad Miller, a 19-year veteran of the Maury County Sheriff’s Office, died a hero protecting workers on a construction site. By Dave Campbell Long-serving reserve deputy for Maury County Sheriff’s Department, Brad Miller died on duty Monday night after his unit was struck by another vehicle, while he was on duty patrolling a work zone near Williamsport Pike, Sheriff Bucky Rowland said during a press conference on Tuesday. Rowland said Miller served the department for 19 years “with a smile and joy in his heart.” According to onsite worker accounts shared with the department, Miller placed himself in a position to take the impact, saving the nearby workers at the site. “Hero is a word used loosely,” Rowland said at the conference. “It was in [Miller’s] DNA to put himself in the position to fill that gap. By doing so, others went home that night. He became someone’s hero, and they may never know it.” Miller, a Michigan native who had lived in Tennessee for 33 years, was near celebration of his 50th wedding anniversary, Sheriff Rowland said during the conference. Former Maury County Sheriff Enoch George who brought Miller onto his staff and Maury County Constable Sam Barnes both spoke with The Herald on Tuesday, sharing fond words of tribute to Miller. “Brad was a phenomenal deputy, and one of the best reserve officers I’ve ever had the chance to work with,” George said. “He was always laughing and smiling, and he loved the other guys he worked with. “This really breaks my heart.” Constable Barnes who ran for sheriff a couple of election cycles ago, also said it was a privilege to know “such a fantastic man.” “His courage was amazing,” Barnes said. “The courage it takes to lay down one’s life during volunteer service, is not so easily found.” Barnes shared that while it was not required of reserve officers, Miller paid from his own pocket to attend a police academy that gave him the equivalent training of other sworn officers, but without the pay. “He was the only person that I ever heard of to devote his time [as a volunteer] to that training,” Barnes said. George said that Miller cared about people, about life and doing the right thing. “And he encouraged others to do right,” George said. “I want DEPUTY BRAD MILLER the family to know that my heart breaks for them and that we will all be praying that the good Lord takes care of them during this time.” According to information released at the press conference, Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the accident, and while charges are not currently forthcoming, they are not yet ruled out. The driver of the other vehicle that struck Miller’s patrol unit was injured in the crash, though no further details are being released at this time. “He took pride in how he represented himself, his department and others, especially his coworkers from General Motors,” Rowland added at the conference. 18 The BLUES The BLUES 19