Emerson Man Charged With Shooting Insurance Inspector’s Phone Off His Selfie Stick

MAGNOLIA, Ark. — A Columbia County man who prosecutors say answered a surprise home inspection by shooting the inspector’s phone off the end of a selfie stick has been charged with aggravated assault.

Derrell J. Miller, 60, of Emerson, was charged Wednesday in Columbia County Circuit Court with aggravated assault, a Class D felony, and first-degree criminal mischief, a Class A misdemeanor. The information, filed by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Joel Hutcheson for 13th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey Rogers, says Miller “shot the phone at the end of victim’s selfie stick that he used to video and photograph the inspections.”

The inspector was not hurt, according to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office report attached to the court file.

What the inspector told deputies

Landon Stewart, 38, of Camden, told Deputy Kevin Glass he works for Safeguard Properties, a company that does random home inspections for State Farm Insurance. He had been assigned to inspect a house at 21361 Highway 98 in Emerson, the report states.

Stewart said he called the house July 27 to set up a time, got no answer and left a voicemail for Miller. The next morning he drove out, knocked on the door and got no answer, so he left a note on the door and started walking the outside of the house, according to the report.

When he came back around to the front, Miller was standing on the porch “wearing shorts and a gun,” Stewart told deputies. Miller asked who he was and what he was doing. Stewart said he explained, then stepped closer when it seemed Miller could not hear him and explained again. He was wearing a lanyard with his ID badge, the report states.

“You should’ve knocked first,” Miller told him, according to the report. Stewart said he had.

Stewart had his phone mounted on a selfie stick to photograph the roof. He told deputies he said he would call State Farm to clear things up, and as he pulled the stick in, Miller “pulled out a black handgun, placed it to Stewart’s phone, and shot it.” Stewart then left and drove to a State Farm agent’s office in Magnolia, where he reported it to deputies about 12:19 p.m. July 28.

The sheriff’s office listed the blue Apple iPhone as destroyed, with a value of $400. It was turned over to Investigator Dustin Cloud as evidence.

Arrest and bond

Cloud arrested Miller at the house at 3:45 p.m. the same day on a warrant for aggravated assault, according to the report. Bond was set at $5,000, and Miller posted a surety bond through First Arkansas Bail Bonds the next day.

The sheriff’s report describes Miller as 6 feet 7 inches tall and 320 pounds.

Under Arkansas law, a person commits aggravated assault by purposely engaging in conduct that creates a substantial danger of death or serious physical injury to another person, or by displaying a firearm in a way that creates that danger. The charge carries up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The criminal mischief count covers damage of $1,000 or less.

Miller is represented by Magnolia attorney David P. Price, who filed an entry of appearance and a discovery motion Wednesday, the same day the charges were filed. No court date was listed in the file.

Miller has no other criminal case in the state court system, according to a statewide search of court records.

A criminal charge is an accusation. Miller is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.