According to a Ringgold Police Department incident report, On Tuesday, December 6th, 2022, at 4:00 PM Officer Goines and Sgt. Malone was dispatched to the Race Trac gas station located on Battlefield Parkway in reference to a domestic dispute. According to dispatch, the caller, the victim, stated that Cortez Ladarius Miller, 27, of Memphis, was trying to set his truck’s gas tank on fire by using a torch. He then told dispatch that the Miller was busting out the windows of the semi-truck with large rocks. Officer Goines arrived on the scene and found Miller walking south on the entrance ramp to Interstate 75 near it’s intersection with Battlefield Parkway. Sgt. Malone reported, “While speaking with Cortez, [I] noticed that his right hand was bleeding near his thumb and asked about the wound. He stated that he believed he was cut from a torch that he was holding in his hand. [I] then asked what happened with the victim. Cortez stated that they were, in fact, sexual partners with one another and had been together for roughly a year. He stated that they had had several domestic incidents in which there was possibly a current protective order between the two gentlemen. According to Miller, they were not supposed to be around each other. I then asked him what had taken place today for us to get called. Mr. Miller appeared to be very emotional about the situation and was very animated, similar to someone with frequent meth usage. Mr. Miller stated that he got upset with the victim over some personal information being photographed, and they began to argue. The argument continued as they pulled down the roadway, and that is when the victim kicked him out of the truck.” Officers were able to find the protective order for both men. Sgt. Malone was able to see that both the driver’s side “vent” window and the passenger window were both busted, as he had told dispatch. The victim was asked about the incident, and he told officers a lot more information that Miller had not disclosed. The victim stated that Miller had a tablet and had located some pictures of another male, which made him angry. They began to argue as they were traveling south on Interstate 75 to the extent that Miller rolled down the window and threatened to throw expensive items from the truck. When they stopped, Miller continued to escalate the situation and grabbed a torch-style lighter. He then unscrewed the cap of the diesel fuel tank on the driver’s side of the semi-truck, lit the lighter, and dropped it into the fuel tank. Officers were then advised that he was positive for AIDS/HIV and was bleeding. While trying to place the cuffs on his wrists, Miller began to fight and tried to pull away from officers. Miller began using his arms to try to pull away from officers and started grabbing items on their vests. Miller continued to fight, being placed in handcuffs. Officer Goines then used his taser. According to the report, Before he discharged the weapon, verbal warnings were given, but Miller continued to fight. During the fight, Miller made suicidal declarations. Miller was then placed under arrest for family violence aggravated assault, reckless conduct, criminal damage to property family violence, and felony obstruction.
Memphis man fights with Ringgold officers after attempting to kill boyfriend during domestic
