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Hearne Christopher Provides Update on Radio
Personality
Rick Miller update (6/12)
There’s more to WDAF 106.5 FM personality Rick Miller’s recent motorcycle wreck
than meets the eye, say an eyewitness and Overland Park Police.
Miller — real name Richard G. Cobb — was found on 112th Street just west of Nall
in the wee hours of June 4 by Baron BMW president Marion Battaglia and his wife,
Cindy.
“It was horrible,” Cindy says. “Marion swerved like there was debris in the
road, and I looked out my passenger side window and saw a man lying in the
center lane — he was lying flat on his back with no helmet. He had come down
that hill heading east, and he crossed the center lane and hit the utility pole
and got thrown from his motorcycle. The police said it was 30 feet.”
That jibes with the O.P. police report that also notes the road surface was dry
with “no adverse conditions.”
“Marion blocked the intersection and was on the ground holding his head and
telling him to hold on, help was on the way,” Cindy says. “It was a nightmare.
We had no idea who he was; he was in a deep sleep — he was actually snoring.
Marion said he kind of had a smile on his face and looked very peaceful. I
couldn’t bear to look at him; it wasn’t pretty. When the paramedics left that
night, they said they did not expect him to make it (alive) to the hospital.”
The critically injured Miller was reportedly in a coma the next day. His
condition later stabilized, and by midweek he was “awake and responding”
according the station’s Web site.
A voluntary “driver impairment test” was administered to Miller, according to
the police report. Results are expected back within two to three weeks.
“The only thing I can confirm is alcohol or some other drug is still being
investigated,” says O.P. Police spokesman Officer Matt Bregel. “The reason we
haven’t released any information is because we haven’t gotten the results back
yet.”
Cindy Battaglia is haunted by the experience.
“The whole time I was thinking like a mother,” Cindy says. “He’s probably
someone’s husband, he has kids and I’m going through all these emotions even
though I don’t know him. Like, I’m angry that he didn’t have the helmet on.”
