Freeport school board official charged in DWI crash, police say

The vice president of the Freeport school board was arrested Wednesday after allegedly driving while intoxicated, striking two parked cars and leaving the scene of the crash, Freeport Village officials said.

Anthony J. Miller, 36, was driving down North Ocean Avenue shortly before 5:30 p.m. Wednesday when his Ford Edge hit two parked cars that were unoccupied, said Freeport Deputy Police Chief Michael Smith. No one was injured, he said.

Miller left the scene, but Freeport Village police stopped him moments later, Smith said.

Miller was arrested on charges including operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level of 0.18 percent or more, aggravated unlicensed operation, operating with a suspended registration and leaving the scene of a property-damage accident, Smith said.

Miller was arraigned Thursday in First District Court in Hempstead, said a spokeswoman for the Nassau County district attorney. He pleaded not guilty and was conditionally released to the county's Probation Department. His license was suspended. He is due to return to court on Jan. 11 and is represented by the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County, which typically does not comment on cases.

He could not be reached for comment Thursday morning.

Miller, a Democrat, ran unsuccessfully for the county Legislature's 5th District in the 2017 primary and the 18th Assembly District in the 2016 primary.

He was appointed to the school board in 2012 and ran for his seat the following year.

"As this is a police matter and the investigation is ongoing, the district has no comment," the school board said in a statement.