Former Avondale Mayor Pro-Tem Accused of Impersonating a Police Officer

David Milliron, the former mayor pro-tem of Avondale Estates, is accused of impersonating a police officer on Interstate-16 stemming from an incident in which he stopped the driver of a tractor-trailer.

Milliron, who is now city manager of Stockbridge in Henry County was in his city-issued SUV and allegedly stopped the driver, Joseph Milholen, because he was losing a load of saw dust, according to a CBS Atlanta report.

Milliron then allegedly told the Milholen that he was going to Georgia State Patrol and have officers issue a ticket.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Safety incident report CBS Atlanta obtained last week, Milliron told him he was the "highest ranking official" in Stockbridge and that he was allowed to stop vehicles according to the city's charter.

The driver initially did not stop because he said the flashing lights from Milliron's SUV were red and not the standard blue for law enforcement.

I-16 runs through 12 Georgia counties, but Henry County isn't one of them.

In fact, Macon, where I-16 starts, is little more than an hour away from Stockbridge. The incident occurred in Laurens County — roughly one hour and 45 minutes from Stockbridge.

On Monday, Milliron's office referred media inquiries to the city attorney, Bill Linkous.

Linkous told Decatur-Avondale Estates Patch the city is investigating. He said he did not know when the investigation will be completed.

"It's a non-issue right now," Linkoous said.

As for whether or not the city charter actually gives the Stockbridge City manager the authority to stop vehicles outside the municipality, let alone within the city itself, Linkous refused to answer.

"I’m not going to respond to that question," he said. "I’m not going to answer it."

In a statement on the city's Facebook page, Stockbridge Mayor Mark Alarcon wrote the incident is being taken seriously:

As the Mayor of Stockbridge I take any allegation against any city employee, no matter how high in the administration very seriously. When I first became aware of the allegations I asked the city attorney to open an investigation and he has agreed to do so. 

I can promise you that we will get to the bottom of this issue and when the investigation is complete we will in the name transparency make what we can public.

To protect the integrity of the investigation there will be no further comment.

I can promise you that we will get to the bottom of this issue and when the investigation is complete we will in the name transparency make what we can public.To protect the integrity of the investigation there will be no further comment.
Milliron isn't the only government official to face scrutiny for alleged improper use of a vehicle.

In 2001, former Georgia Insurance Commissioner John W. Oxendine was accused of abusing the use of state-issued blue lights and sirens after he struck another driver while using the emergency lights.