NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)– “Brad’s heart was a heart of service.”

That’s how colleagues like Reserve Sgt. David Thomas describe 68-year-old Brad Miller, a Maury County Sheriff reserve deputy who died back in December of 2022.

Reserve Deputy Miller was on traffic detail on Highway 43 in a moving work zone in his patrol vehicle with his lights flashing. This while three contract employees were working on that stretch of road in front of him.

Reserve Deputy Miller was hit by another vehicle from behind.

“I saw those three workers and I asked them if they saw what happened and they said, “yeah we were working here and he saved us,” prevented them from getting crushed against the machine they were working on,” Lt. Brad Collins explains.

“That the fact that Brad’s car was positioned the way it was positioned, the fact that his wheels were turned in such a way as to redirect the car had it been impacted, those things in tandem they felt like certainly had saved their lives. Also reported Brad was able to call out to tell them to move from the area to run if you will. So, they felt very strongly that Brad had saved their lives,” reserve Sgt. Thomas elaborates further.

Reserve Deputy Miller sustained massive head trauma. He died being hailed as a hero.

“He lived a hero too, a life of service,” says Reserve Sgt. Thomas. “A life of serving others, a life of putting himself out there.”

In 2019 and 2022 Reserve Deputy Miller was honored with the Reserve Deputy of the Year Award by the Maury County Reserve Deputy Association which speaks to his commitment to the department and community.

He spent 19 years in service, more than eighty-six hundred hours volunteering with the Maury County Sheriff’s Department years after retiring from his career at GM.

“He was following I believe in the footsteps of his father and grandfather as he chose to serve his community in this way. Brad had put himself through the police academy. It’s not a requirement to be a part of the reserve unit but Brad had chosen that to better himself, to learn and to grow, to apply himself and to be the best version of himself that he could be,” Reserve Sgt. Thomas shares.

“You know it was a relief when you saw him come in because you knew he could handle the calls that come into him,” Lt. Collins adds.

And for years his heart to serve also extended to his volunteer committee work with the Maury County sheriff’s rodeo, and on-site work during the event.

“Brad loved the rodeo, but he also loved you know what the rodeo brought to Maury County,” explains Lt. Collins. “So, any of that money that’s made at the rodeo it helps us give back to the community. It helps with our Shop with the Cop, and there are Thanksgiving baskets to getting coats and things for kids that may not have coats. “

“Brad is a hero because he loved his fellow man. Brad is a hero because he was willing to come forward and serve. Brad is a hero because he didn’t do these things for himself, or for any personal benefit. He did it for others,” says Reserve Sgt. Thomas:   

Lt. Collins adds, “He’s a hero because he did the right thing when it counted the most.”

So, we posthumously honor Maury County Sheriff Reserve Deputy Brad Miller as our News 2 Gives Back Hometown Hero for the month of March, presented by Trevecca Nazarene University, for his 19 years of voluntary service through the Maury County Sheriff’s Department, saving three lives the day he lost his life working to keep people safe in a highway work zone.