LeRoy man pleads not guilty to charges after crash

Published 6:12 am Friday, March 26, 2010

A LeRoy man accused of driving drunk and getting into an accident that injured three people earlier this month pleaded not guilty to multiple charges Thursday.

Thomas William Miles, 22, faces eight charges, including causing an accident and fleeing the scene, and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol — both felonies — following the March 14 crash in LeRoy.

According to a police report, a red Oldsmobile and a 1994 Ford Ranger, driven by Miles, collided at the intersection of West Street and Highway 56 in LeRoy at around 3 a.m., causing non-life threatening injuries to the driver of the Oldsmobile and two passengers in the truck. The driver of the Oldsmobile tested at a 0.081 blood alcohol level as well.

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According to the report, Miles and two passengers left the pickup and fled the scene. The passenger-side door and the driver-side window were both left open, and blood was spotted in the vehicle and leading away from the truck.

The left side of the truck was damaged, and police believe Miles was driving in the wrong lane, the report states.

Police looked for Miles nearby at a relative’s house. According to the report, the relative at the home said Miles had stopped shortly but left. The relative added that Miles appeared drunk at the time.

Police located the two other passengers of the truck, and they said they’d been drinking in LeRoy. According to the report, one of the passengers was bleeding from his nose, which appeared deformed, but he declined medical treatment. The other passenger had cuts on his head.

Miles was later located in the 200 block of East Sargent Street at 6:10 a.m. Miles smelled of alcohol and admitted to driving the Ford Ranger, the report states. He said he fled the scene because he had no insurance on the truck. He had a blood alcohol level of 0.077 when arrested, and he agreed to submit a urine test.

According to the police report, Miles told police the accident occurred because of “drunken stupidness.” He also told police that he drank $45 worth of beer at a bar, and bar employees then refused to serve him.

Miles was charged March 16. If convicted, he could face three years in jail and a $10,000 fine. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 16.