P/O Richard Miller

Officer Richard Miller

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On this day in 1986, we lost our police officer, Richard Thomas Miller, to a vehicular assault as he was run down while on duty based on the following:

Officer Richard Miller, assigned to the Traffic Division, was busily directing traffic at the west end of the parking lot prior to a baseball game at Memorial Stadium. Officer Miller, along with others, observed a 1977 Toyota that was about to drive the wrong way down a one-way street. They attempted to stop the car. The vehicle then swerved towards the officers, traveled a short distance, and ran down Officer Miller, throwing him several feet and striking two more parked cars. The driver of the 1977 Toyota was arrested and charged with murder and three counts of attempted murder. Officers quickly administered first aid to Officer Miller while an ambulance was summoned. He was taken to the University of Maryland’s Shock Trauma Unit. For several weeks, he fought to live. Medical staff at the Shock Trauma Unit performed several operations to repair massive internal injuries. On July 21, 1986, Officer Miller succumbed to his injuries, one day away from his 32nd anniversary of service with the department.

Leonard P. Cirincione, 40, was convicted in 1987 of first-degree murder and related charges in the 1986 slaying of Officer Richard Miller, who was run down while directing traffic outside Memorial Stadium before an Orioles game. Cirincione is serving a sentence of life plus 20 years. Miller survived for 5 1/2 weeks on life support. He died on July 21, 1986 - Cirincione, a drug abuser since high school, testified that he had smoked up to eight PCP cigarettes within 12 hours of the incident and that he blacked out shortly before hitting Miller. In 1996, he began asking for a new trial and a reduced sentence. He is a new man, and since his arrest, he has turned his life around 360 degrees. The judge told him to pound sand. You did the crime, you did the time. A new trial was denied for the murder of a city police officer.

He will forever be missed, but never forgotten by us, his brothers and sisters of the Baltimore Police Department. God bless you and rest in peace.

A policeman hit by car June 12 dies of injuries

22 July 1986

Richard T. Miller, a 55-year-old Baltimore police officer, died yesterday [July 21, 1986] from injuries sustained on June 12, 1986, when he was run down by a car while directing traffic at Memorial Stadium before an Orioles game.

Charges against the man accused of striking him—Leonard P. Cirincione, 29, of the 2600 block of Kentucky Avenue—were immediately upgraded from attempted murder to first-degree murder, according to Dennis S. Hill, a police spokesman. Mr. Hill said Mr. Cirincione is also charged with two counts of attempted murder for allegedly trying to strike other police officers with his car and with a number of traffic violations.

A black crepe was stretched across the entrance of police headquarters yesterday in observance of Officer Miller’s death, and officers in the department will wear black cloth across their badges for the next 30 days, officials said.

Officer Miller, who would have been on the force for 32 years today, died at 3:05 AM yesterday at the shock trauma unit at University Hospital, where he was taken immediately after being struck last month. Surgeons had amputated his right leg below the knee, and police officials said his condition never improved substantially.

The June 12 incident happened about 6 PM on 33^rd St. in front of Memorial Stadium. Officer Miller was directing traffic, which was all being routed eastbound because of a number of people headed to the ballgame.

According to police, the officer was confronted with a westbound car and attempted to flag it down, but was struck down in the process. It is alleged that the driver actually veered toward Officer Miller and two other police officers in an attempt to strike all three. Only Officer Miller was hit.

Officer Miller is the only police officer to be killed in the line of duty this year.

He joined the department in July 1954 after two years in the Army. He spent his first 16 years on the force in the Northwest district before being transferred to the traffic division, where he was assigned at the time of his death, Mr. Hill said. During his career, he received nine official commendations, including two commendatory letters.

He leaves behind a wife and two kids.

An inspector’s funeral, complete with honors from law enforcement agencies inside and outside Marilyn, will be held at 11 AM Thursday at the Loring Buyers Funeral Establishment in the 8700 block of Liberty Road. The instrument will be at Druid Ridge Cemetery at Park Heights Avenue and old court road in Pikesville

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