Onalaska woman gets 55 years in prison for fatal auto-motorcycle wreck

Melissa Miller (Source: Polk County Jail)
Melissa Miller (Source: Polk County Jail)(Polk County Jail)
Published: Sep. 27, 2018 at 5:38 PM CDT
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NACOGDOCHES, TX (KTRE) - A Polk County district judge sentenced a 52-year-old Onalaska woman to 55 years in prison for an drug-related wreck that claimed the life of James Bradberry and seriously injured Melissa Bradberry, his wife.

The sentencing hearing came after it took a jury less than an hour to find Melissa Ann Miller guilty of murder and intoxication assault.

“The investigation revealed that Miller had previously been convicted of DWI in 2009 and 2011,” Polk County District Attorney Lee Hon said in a press release. “These prior convictions allowed the state to charge Miller with murder for the death of James Bradberry. She was also charged with intoxicated assault for the injuries sustained by Melissa Bradberry.”

411th Judicial District Judge Kaycee Jones assessed Miller’s punishment at 55 years for the first-degree felony murder charge and 10 years for the intoxication assault charge.

Hon said that under Texas law, Miller will not be eligible for parole until she has served at least 27 years in prison.

“Evidence at trial established that on June 25, 2016, Miller, while driving on FM 356 in Polk County under the influence of three different drugs, swerved into the oncoming lane of traffic and hit two motorcycles,” Hon said. “The driver of the first motorcycle was able to regain his composure despite damage to his motorcycle, while both the driver and passenger of the second motorcycle were tossed into a ditch.”

Hon said the Bradberrys both sustained life-threatening injuries. He added that Bradberry died a short time later at Conroe Regional Hospital.

“In addition to the testimony of the surviving victim, Polk County Assistant District Attorneys Beverly Armstrong and Nicole Washington presented testimony regarding the accident and driving while intoxicated investigations,” Hon said. “Additional testimony included evidence of the injuries sustained by both victims as well as the drugs in Miller’s system at the time of the accident.”

Miller was indicted on the two felony charges back in July - murder and intoxicated assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury. When Miller was arrested in June of 2016, she was originally charged with intoxicated manslaughter intoxicated assault, and possession of a dangerous drug.

The charges stemmed from a wreck that occurred on FM 356 June 25, 2016.

Polk County District Attorney Lee Hon said the grand jury went by the felony murder provision of Section 19.02(b)(3) of the Texas Penal Code in choosing to charge her with that instead of intoxicated manslaughter.

"The allegation is that she was committing another felony offense (felony DWI - two prior convictions) and committed an act clearly dangerous to human life, which caused the death of an individual," Hon said.

Miller's next court date is scheduled for July 26.

According to a Texas Department of Public Safety press release, the accident occurred at about 9 p.m. about four miles north of Onalaska. A 2005 Mitsubishi Endeavor driven by Miller was heading east on FM 356 when it crossed the center line, went into the westbound lanes, and struck two Harley Davidson motorcycles.

Miller was taken to CHI St. Luke's Hospital in Livingston, where she was treated and released.

Ronald Lee Creech, 54, of Huntsville, was the first motorcyclist that was hit. He was treated at the scene and released.

The driver and passenger of the second motorcycle were identified as James Thomas Bradberry and Melissa Bradberry, both of Montgomery.

Both of them were taken to the Conroe Medical Center, and James Bradberry was pronounced dead at about 11:30 p.m., the press release stated. Melissa Bradberry was later transported to a Houston hospital.

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