Ex-official injured in garage fire
Former Rensselaer County veterans office leader Kevin C. Miller Jr. was taken to hospital
PITTSTOWN — Kevin C. Miller, the former leader of Rensselaer County’s veterans office, was taken to the hospital with burns after a fire late Wednesday morning damaged a twocar garage at his home, officials said.
Pittstown Fire Chief Mark Hubbs said it appears the fire at Miller’s Grogan Road home started accidentally. Miller was working on a vehicle inside the garage when a fire burning outside spread to the structure, officials said. Hubbs said at least two propane tanks exploded during the fire.
Miller was placed in an ambulance and taken to a local hospital, officials said.
The 41-year-old was fired from his job as the leader of the veterans agency in May after he was charged with threatening Rensselaer County Judge Jennifer Sober when she sentenced Devin N. Van Patten to 20 years in prison on a first-degree burglary charge connected to the June 9, 2021 killing of Miller’s 19-year-old son Nathaniel. The teen was shot to death during a home invasion in a Jay Herrington Road residence in the rural town.
He was accused of telling the judge “watch your six,” military slang for “watch your back,” at the May 20 sentencing, court officials said. It was unclear what prompted the remark.
The younger Miller was killed in an attack at the family’s home.
When Van Patten pleaded guilty in 2021 to his role as part of a deal that came with a promise of a 20-year state prison sentence, the elder Miller allegedly yelled out in court: “I will come after you… I will (word deleted) kill you.”
Kyle Hutchinson was found guilty of murder and burglary in 2023 and was sentenced to
25 years to life. A third man, Carlos Lewis, 26, was ordered to serve the same sentence for the killing.
Miller was charged with making a terroristic threat, a felony, for the remark to the judge. Miller also was charged with misdemeanor counts of second-degree criminal contempt and first-degree harassment.
State Police seized weapons from Miller’s home acting under an extreme risk protection order and charged him with criminal possession of weapons, according to State Police and court officials.