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Crime Spree: Man assaults girlfriend while arguing with ex-wife, injures two in hit and run, crashes SUV into another vehicle, police say

Police released updates on an investigation involving two separate crashes in High Point. They're now calling Thursday night's events a crime spree.

HIGH POINT, N.C. — High Point police have arrested a man charged in connection with what they're calling a crime spree. 

Police said James Randolph Miller injured multiple people and damaged property. A hatchet, gold SUV and multiple arguments only partially paint the picture of the events occurring February 13, 2020.

A High Point Police (HPPD) report details the events in the three hours leading up to James Randolph Miller’s arrest. It involves three official crime scenes. 

Intersection of East Russell Avenue and South University Parkway:

At 5:37 p.m., police responded to a call about a possible Hit and Run involving a pedestrian. After investigating, HPPD officers determined a man, later identified as James Randolph Miller, 44, had intentionally struck two people, a 16-year-old male, and a 23-year-old male, while driving his gold GMC Yukon SUV.

Miller’s Hit and Run, police said, followed an argument with a group of people walking along East Russell Avenue. Both the 16-year-old and 23-year-old were among the group arguing with Miller, police confirmed.

The victims suffered serious, but non-life threatening injuries, Chief of Police Kenneth J Shultz said.

Bystanders called 911. One caller told the dispatcher an ambulance was needed ASAP. 

"He's hurt really bad. I don’t know if he's breathing or not he's bleeding really bad," a caller said.

"He drove up and he tried to run over and he hit this guy and I think he tried to kill him," another caller said.

Miller then drove northbound on South University Parkway.

Bridlewood Avenue Residence

A few hours later, High Point police arrived at a house on Bridlewood Avenue to investigate a call about a public disturbance. At this location, police were able to identify Miller as the suspect involved in the earlier East Russell Avenue Hit and Run incident.

At the home, Miller had been involved earlier in a domestic disturbance, police said. Miller both threatened and physically assaulted his girlfriend at the home after arguing with his ex-wife on the telephone. The woman identified as Miller’s girlfriend “was present at the residence with a hatchet,” police said.

She managed to escape and run to safety after the assault, according to the report.

Miller, again, left the scene before police arrived at the house.

Skeet Club Road Near the Intersection of Aberdare Drive

After leaving the Bridlewood Avenue residence, Miller’s SUV rear-ended another vehicle on Skeet Club Road near the intersection of Aberdare Drive. He then backed up and intentionally rammed the same vehicle 2 or 3 more times before turning around and fleeing the area, High Point police said.

The victim in the crash called 911 and followed Miller’s SUV to obtain the tag number. Miller noticed he was being followed, turned the SUV around, and rammed the victim's vehicle head-on despite the victim's attempts to avoid the collision, officials said. The SUV crashed into a fence and got stuck in the mud, police said.

"I’ve been involved in a hit and run ma’am. The guy hit me he’s going on Skeet Club right now ma’am," the caller said, "He’s about to hit me! He’s about to hit me ma’am. He’s about to hit me. Ma’am, he's trying to hit me. He’s trying to hit me ma’am! He’s trying to get me - ma’am."

According to a police report, the victim managed to get out of their vehicle and run to safety.

Officers arrived at the scene where Miller’s SUV was still stuck at 8:26 p.m. Police found Miller still sitting in the driver’s seat of the SUV. They found marijuana and drug paraphernalia with Miller and arrested him, police said.

Police took Miller to Guilford County Jail in High Point under a domestic hold for the Assault on a Female charge. They gave him an additional $200,000 secured bond for the other charges which include the following:

  • Hit and Run
  • Domestic Disturbance
  • Driving While Impaired, Possession of Schedule VI (Marijuana)
  • Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
  • Injury to Real Property
  • Hit & Run Property Damage
  • Assault with a Deadly Weapon
  • Assault on a Female

Miller had his first appearance in court on February 14, 2020.

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