Miller

YATESVILLE – Gov. Edward Rendell, State Police Commissioner Co. Frank Pawlowski, and hundreds of police officers from as far away as California were among the large crowd that attended the funeral of Trooper Joshua Miller Thursday.  The funeral, at the Pittston High School football stadium, was held a day before Miller would have celebrate his 35th birthday.

Rendell had special words for Miller’s three daughters.

“”The truth is, you think you’ve lost year dad, but you won’t”, he said, recalling when he lost his own father at age 14.  “I see him every day.  I hear him every day.  His memory will always be with you.”

Following the mid-day funeral, Miller was laid to rest in Layceville.  Hundreds of police cars and motorcycles formed the escort motorcade.

Miller died last Sunday night in Monroe County, in a shootout following a chase that began in Nazareth when a father kidnapped his own son at gunpoint, from his estranged wife’s home.  Miller, and another trooper, Robert Lombardo, were attempting to rescue the young boy, who was not hurt.  Lombardo was wounded, but not seriously.

The boy’s father, Daniel Autenrieth, also died in the gunfire.