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Faces misdemeanor death by vehicle, driving with revoked license charges 

 

POLK COUNTY—On Friday, November 8, a Mill Spring man was arrested after being indicted by a grand jury due to his involvement in a fatal crash that took place last year. 

Caleb Conner, 33, was charged with failure to yield, misdemeanor death by vehicle, and driving with a revoked license. 

On September 19, 2023, Conner was involved in a collision with a vehicle on Highway 108 in the Mill Spring area, resulting in the death of LeeRoy Miller. The victim’s family is questioning why Conner’s charges are not more significant after causing the death of their loved one and are asking officials why a thorough investigation was not conducted on the evening of Miller’s death, alleging that Conner was not tested for drug or alcohol consumption.

“My grandfather is dead due to [Conner’s] negligence, and he has shown that he is irresponsible and a threat to the community,” said Jonai Dawkins, Miller’s granddaughter, on Wednesday.

Many of Miller’s family members and friends, including Latisha Miller, question the decision to charge Conner with only a misdemeanor. “I’m so disgusted by this guy’s lack of accountability and the so-called justice system,” Latisha said in a social media post.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says it has no control over the charges, as the North Carolina Highway Patrol handled the case.

“I understand that the family is upset, especially with how long it has been since the accident took place, but this case is out of our hands,” said Polk County Police Chief Jeff Ramsey on Thursday. “The highway patrol is handling this case, and we have no say in the charges or the bonds set by the magistrate.”

Ramsey also stated that Conner had previously faced charges in the county. According to court records, he was convicted of Level 5 Driving While Impaired in 2013.

Conner is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, December 17.