One year ago this week, my beloved daughter Jennifer Miller was tragically, horrifically and needlessly killed, way before her time.
"I'm just gonna be completely candid with you all; I have not heard any victim-centric focus from anybody within the collective leadership of the City of San Marcos,” lectured Stan Standridge, the new police chief, at a city council meeting in May.
My name is Cheryl Taylor and I, a retired nurse in California, am writing this guest column because I, myself, am a victim –– at the hands of an SMPD sergeant.
My loving, caring daughter, Jen, was killed last June when Sgt. Ryan Hartman, at the wheel of a F-250 truck, disregarded a pair of stop signs, speeding far above the limit, talking on his phone, with an open, unfinished, 24-ounce beer in his cup holder, plowed into her car.
Jen was a soft-spoken, kind and generous person who managed a popular store at the Outlet Malls, selling gourmet chocolate.
When I was having cancer treatments, Jen sent the center enough chocolates for all, from housekeeping to secretaries, to doctors, techs and volunteers, as a way of thanking them for taking care of me.
She was a thoughtful person who fiercely loved her friends, two of whom would become a nurse and teacher, respectively –– each crediting Jen’s encouragement for pursuing their careers.
Oh how I am sorry you could not meet her. You should have met her. You would have really liked Jen. She was beautiful inside and out. Unfortunately, she will never get the chance to explore new things or make memories with all of us. We all miss her.
One year ago this week, I was devastated to get the call no mother wants to receive.
Sgt. Hartman, who is listed in online documents as Treasurer of the San Marcos Police Officers Association (SMPOA), is responsible for that fatal crash and all the hurt, grief and loss that resulted from his dreadful decisions that day.
Councilmembers Mark Gleason and Shane Scott together benefitted from over $12,000 in campaign contributions from SMPOA, and neither have yet spoken out against Sgt. Hartman’s continued employment.
I wrote to Jane Hughson last year, hopeful for her intervention in ensuring accountability for Sgt. Hartman’s deadly irresponsibility, but the Mayor did not even bother to reply to my letter.
Chief Standridge told me in November it was his choice to make –– whether or not to return Sgt. Hartman to the force. When it comes to victim advocacy, how shameful and untrustworthy that your chief does not practice what he preaches.
As the Lockhart Fire Department cut Jen’s body loose from the mangled car Sgt. Hartman had just t-boned with his two-ton truck, police investigators asked him to prove his sobriety. He refused.
They obtained a search warrant to draw Sgt. Hartman’s blood more than three hours later, when any alcohol in his system could have metabolized. Sgt. Hartman would know this because your tax dollars employ him in the DWI unit of the San Marcos Police Department.
One investigating officer observed in his report: “I did have concerns that if Ryan wanted to be cooperative as he said he wanted to be, this was an odd response to my request – if in fact Ryan had not consumed any alcoholic beverages prior to the crash.”
Sgt. Hartman told investigating officers his wreck was due to being unfamiliar with the area. But, under oath in his deposition, he later admitted he was moonlighting there as security for the pipeline, and that his mother lives in the vicinity. He actually had just left her house.
Ultimately, Sgt. Hartman was only given a traffic ticket: failure to stop at a stop sign.
There were stop signs on both sides of the lane he was driving on! “Never saw it,” he said. Unfortunately, distracted driving is not illegal in Texas; apparently it did not matter if he was distracted by alcohol, speed or his cell phone. As long as he is a cop, he skates by without any consequences for him or his career.
On that terribly devastating evening one year ago, Sgt. Hartman told Lockhart Lt. Danny Williams he was tired and just wanted to go home. His wife was called and he left for the comfort of his home. Oh, but that blue line wraps tight.
Jen will never return home.
This column was submitted by Cheryl Taylor.
