Tri-Cities driver enters plea in hit-and-run rollover that killed his neighbor

A Finley driver initially claimed another man was behind the wheel when his new off-road vehicle rolled, killing his neighbor.

It was hours later that David P. Miller told a Benton County sheriff’s corporal he was “tired of lying” and admitted being the driver, according to recently filed court documents.

Miller and two other passengers had left the crash before deputies arrived on Nov. 15, leaving behind the crushed passenger and her boyfriend.

Miller — who turns 31 on Saturday, Nov. 28 — told investigators that the boyfriend told him to leave after they couldn’t lift the Polaris Utility Task Vehicle off Nadine Locati, documents said.

The off-road vehicle had rolled over about 2 a.m. when Miller tried to drive up an embankment along Bryson Brown Road in Finley, east of Kennewick. He had just bought the vehicle and brought it home that day.

Locati, 34, was sitting behind Miller and was not wearing a seat belt. The Finley woman, who was Miller’s friend and neighbor, was partially ejected and died at the scene.

Her boyfriend, Mitchell E. Crane, 42, stayed with her and called 911.

Later that morning, deputies arrested Miller for Locati’s death, and he’s since pleaded innocent in Benton County Superior Court to a felony charge of fatal hit-and-run.

He was released from the Benton County jail on Nov. 16 after posting bond on $50,000 bail.

First arrest

Investigators say Crane was under the influence when they arrived at the crash, and he was initially detained until they sorted out who had been driving.

Then they discovered he was wanted on a felony arrest warrant days earlier.

Online jail records show Crane posted bond earlier this week on $20,000 bail and was released from jail. He has pleaded innocent to first-degree burglary and first-degree robbery.

Prosecutors allege he entered a South Highlands Boulevard home with two other unidentified men on Nov. 9 and assaulted two people.

The suspects hit one person with a flashlight on his head and hands and punched the other in the head, leaving with a wallet, cash, pills and marijuana, documents said.

Rollover crash

On Nov. 15, sheriff’s officials say five people were riding the off-road vehicle when it rolled. Crane was in the front seat next to Miller, while Miller’s wife, Locati and Crane’s 17-year-old daughter were in the backseat.

The two men reportedly were wearing seat belts, which allowed the vehicle to operate, while the other three were not, Miller’s lawyer Scott Johnson previously told the Tri-City Herald.

Crane, when contacted at the scene, told deputies that someone named “Jason” had been driving, court documents show. Miller also gave a recorded statement to deputies that he was the front passenger and Crane was the driver.

However, after talking with witnesses and others, deputies later found and questioned Miller at his home.

He allegedly told investigators he had three shots of liquor and a beer in the hours before the crash.

Johnson, his lawyer, said he believes the results of a blood sample will show his client was not drunk at the time.

Johnson added that Miller and his wife had returned home Saturday night from Spokane after buying the UTV, and were excited to take it out with their friends. They had been driving around the neighborhood and were heading home when the crash happened, he said.