A Boise man accused of driving under the influence, running a red light, and hitting two pedestrians before fleeing the scene returned to court Friday to plead not guilty to multiple charges.
- According to Police, one victim was thrown 20 feet into the air, while the other remained stuck in the windshield for nearly two blocks.
- Both survived thanks to quick actions by bystanders, including an ER doctor and a group of teenagers who tracked down the driver.
- Boise Police honored the citizens with an Exceptional Service Award for their lifesaving efforts.
- Miller's Jury Trial is scheduled to begin at the Ada County Courthouse on January 13th.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
Jacob Miller, 46, made headlines earlier this summer after he was arraigned on charges of running a red light in downtown Boise while under the influence. He is accused of hitting two people and driving away.
Miller returned to court Friday morning, entering a plea of not guilty to the nine charges against him.
According to police, one victim was flung up to 20 feet in the air, while the other was stuck in the windshield for nearly two blocks. Both were left with life-threatening injuries but ultimately survived, thanks to the good Samaritans who sprang into action.
"As luck would have it, and Boise being the way that it is, there was an emergency room doctor and several members of his family who were right there on the scene. They rendered immediate medical aid, literally saving the lives of these two victims that were struck," said Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar.
Although it goes against their typical advice, police say a group of four teenage boys followed the driver in another car, tracking him down and holding him in custody until police arrived.
"Some of them were high school-aged. They saw what happened, and they saw the suspect vehicle flee the scene. Those guys are heroes in my book," said Chief Winegar.
Friday morning, with one victim present and the other’s family in attendance, Boise Police presented an Exceptional Service Award to those citizens for their swift action.
"We are grateful for them, grateful for their service. This was absolutely preventable, and this absolutely should not have happened. And if there’s one thing I know, it’s that people in Boise, being the good people that they are, will jump in and do something in times of crisis," said Chief Winegar.
