AULANDER – A Windsor man faces a long list of traffic violations after he wrecked his pick up truck, knocking out electrical power over an expansive area, and then fled the scene of the single vehicle accident.

David Miller, age 50, was charged with DWI, careless/reckless driving, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, having an open container of alcohol, and hit and run on the heels of the May 16 wreck.

According to North Carolina Highway Patrol Trooper K.R. Genao, Miller was operating a 1999 Ford Ranger north on the St. John – Millennium Road (RP 1112; approximately one-quarter mile south of NC 561) at around 11:30 a.m. Genao’s report showed that the truck traveled off the right side of the road, at which time Miller overcorrected his steering, causing the vehicle to swerve back onto the road where it crossed over both lanes of travel, impacted a ditch, became airborne and then struck an electrical pole.

“After striking the electrical pole, the body of the truck was severely damaged, but Mr. Miller somehow was able to steer his truck back onto the roadway and he left the scene of the accident,” Genao told the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald. “When emergency responders arrived, they saw a damaged electrical pole, downed power lines and debris from the wreckage, but there was no vehicle.”

Genao added that Miller was able to steer his damaged truck southbound on the St. John – Millennium Road, but was stopped a short time later by Aulander Police Chief Jimmy Barmer near the intersection of Hollowell Road.

“Hertford County EMS was sent to that location and transported Mr. Miller to RCH (Roanoke-Chowan Hospital) where he was treated for his injuries,” Genao said.

Back at the accident scene, Hertford County Sheriff’s deputies and members of the St. John Volunteer Fire Department blocked off the road for a short duration in order to clear the wreck debris as well as to allow a crew from Roanoke Electric Cooperative to erect a new pole and restore electrical power.

The power outage reportedly affected the St. John and Union areas as well as east on NC 561 to the NC 11 intersection.

“Roanoke Electric was on the scene very quickly,” Genao said.

Miller is scheduled to appear in Hertford County District Court on Aug. 12 to answer for the charges.

Meanwhile, his truck was seized by the NC Highway Patrol due to his involvement in an earlier DWI conviction.

In early December of 2011, Miller was arrested after leading several NCHP Troopers on a motor vehicle chase after he failed to stop at a driver’s license checkpoint set up on NC 305 at Connaritsa.

In that case, Miller was charged with felony speed to elude arrest, DWI, possessing an open container of an alcoholic beverage, and a driver’s license restriction violation.