Driver in fiery I-75 crash that killed two people was fleeing police at more than 150 mph
A drunk driver who fled from police at speeds of more than 150 mph crashed into another vehicle on Interstate 75 in Northern Kentucky, killing two people inside, according to state police.
Kentucky State Police have charged Jody Miller, 47, with vehicular homicide and other charges in connection with the fiery Grant County collision, which happened just after 11 p.m. June 9.
Miller was driving a 2017 BMW when he passed a state police trooper “at a high rate of speed” at the 148 mile marker, state police said in a news release.
The trooper said his radar indicated that the driver was going 132 mph in a 70 mph zone, according to a uniform citation filed in court.
The trooper activated his emergency equipment to try to make a traffic stop, but the citation says Miller accelerated to 153 mph, and the trooper’s vehicle couldn’t keep up.
The trooper “lost sight of the vehicle and discontinued the pursuit,” the news release states.
The citation states that the crash isn’t visible on the trooper’s dash camera footage because the driver had put so much distance between himself and the trooper, but “you can see the flames coming from Unit 2, a 2013 Kia,” after it was rear-ended “and became engulfed.”
The driver and the passenger in the Kia died at the scene, according to the news release.
Grant County Coroner Mark Jump identified them as Joshua Turza, 32, of Avon, Ohio, and Meagan Spurgeon, 30, of North Olmsted, Ohio.
The BMW Miller was driving flipped onto its top, and he had to be extricated, state police said in the citation.
The trooper “could smell the odor of alcoholic beverages coming from his person,” the citation states.
According to the citation, Miller told state police he was driving back home to Cincinnati after spending the weekend in North Carolina and had stopped at an Applebee’s in Knoxville, Tenn., where he said he had drunk one shot of Grand Marnier and “what he remembered as a blue moon (sic) beer.”
Miller said he had stopped at a truck stop at the 120 mile marker.
“He recalls leaving the parking lot but does not remember anything until he was in the backseat of Trooper Dicken’s cruiser,” the citation states.
Miller is charged with driving under the influence first offense, vehicular homicide when under the influence of alcohol, first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer, first-degree fleeing or evading and speeding over 26 mph.
Spurgeon was described in her obituary as “an amazing mom.”
“She loved her job, her coworkers, and loved working as a registered nurse for CCF Lutheran Hospital,” the obituary states..
Turza was Spurgeon’s boyfriend, according to his obituary.
“Josh loved soccer, Disney, documentaries, and spending time with his dog Pharoah. He loved spending time with his dad, mom and sister. He loved family game nights and just hanging out. He was kind and trustworthy and loved by many, many friends,” his obituary states.
Herald-Leader staff writer Bill Estep contributed to this report.
