Felony gun charge dropped against NC Senate candidate after Cary police standoff
A felony firearms charge against Libertarian Senate candidate Jonathan D. Miller was dismissed after prosecutors found his gun was an antique. Miller still faces misdemeanor charges including communicating threats.
Felony charge dropped for North Carolina Senate candidate after armed standoff with police
The Wake County District Attorney's Office dismissed a felony firearms charge Tuesday against Jonathan D. Miller, the Libertarian candidate for a Wake County state Senate seat, according to wral.com. Miller had been arrested Monday following an hours-long standoff with Cary police.
Miller was initially charged with felony possession of a firearm as a felon after officers located him Monday morning. Investigators later determined that the weapon in question was an antique muzzle-loader — "not capable of firing a cartridge," prosecutors wrote in the dismissal — and therefore did not qualify as a firearm under the relevant statute.
The state set a $50,000 secured bond for Miller on remaining misdemeanor charges: communicating threats to a public officer and going armed to the terror of the people.
Posts on X triggered welfare check
The threat charges stem from posts Miller made on his X account Monday morning, which the District Attorney described as "pretty concerning." The posts described suicidal thoughts and contained language that police characterised as threatening toward officers.
"The whole police department is chasing me with guns drawn. This should be fun," one post read. A second followed: "I've got six shots and the high ground. I hope they don't find me, but if they do it's going to be a hell of a show."
Officers monitoring Miller's social media attempted a welfare check at his home on Glen Echo Lane, off Kildaire Farm Road, early Monday. When police made contact, Miller was carrying a holstered revolver. "He had a firearm and was ordered not to touch it, and he took off running," Cary police chief Terry Sult said at a news conference Monday.
Miller fled into nearby woods. The standoff did not end in gunfire.
Miller called WRAL during pursuit
During the standoff, Miller contacted wral.com multiple times to describe his account of events and to criticise the Cary Police Department. "They have been chasing me since this morning," he told WRAL. "They're not very good at it. They really probably should get some more training on tracking somebody down."
Miller said he had posted what he described as a suicide note on social media and had spent the night in emotional distress. He told WRAL he feared being taken to a hospital if apprehended.
"I spent all night crying, and angry, and upset, and depressed, and all the emotions," he said during the pursuit. "And this morning I was tired, but I had things I needed to do. And I didn't kill myself. So I got up and made coffee."
Miller described the moment police first approached him: a officer drew his weapon after spotting the holstered revolver, ordered Miller to keep his hands clear, and Miller said he refused the order before backing away and running into the woods.
Asked why he chose to call the news outlet, Miller said: "I figured this story was probably going to make the news, so I thought you might have some questions for me."
Criminal history cited by state
Prosecutors noted Miller's prior North Carolina criminal record, which includes multiple felony convictions for possession and delivery of marijuana in 2018, as well as a cyberstalking charge in 2015.
Miller is scheduled to appear in court on 3 November. Attempts to reach his attorney late Tuesday were unsuccessful.
He is running for the seat currently held by Democratic Senator Gale Adcock. Republican nominee Philip Hensley is also contesting the race.
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If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis, call or text 988, or contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. Veterans can press "1" after dialling 988 to reach the Veterans Crisis Lifeline directly, or text 838255.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)