Sponsored by Texas Bank. See All High School Football Scores: See Scores
San Angelo

YouTuber Attempts Defamation of Army Veteran for Fame, Profit

By Joe Hyde, Apr 9, 2022
 

SAN ANGELO, TX — “The guy has ‘F’ the police on the back of his car,” explained retired U.S. Army cavalry soldier Ronnie Wegner. The 23-year veteran was accused of verbal assault by local police chaser Jack Miller in a video Miller published to his YouTube channel last week. The video depicts Wegner confronting Miller in front of Wegner’s property in Grape Creek.

According to Wegner, he observed Miller casing houses on his block over a period of several days prior to the confrontation. “We have had livestock equipment and vehicles stolen. We even had a shooting up here,” Wegner said, describing the general unease he and his Grape Creek neighbors have experienced for weeks leading up to last week’s confrontation on video.

“And this guy looks to me like he’s a drug addict,” Wegner said.

The ordeal recorded by Miller started with Tom Green Sheriff’s deputies arriving at Wegner’s neighbor’s house looking for a shooting suspect.

“What happened over there is a friend’s girlfriend shot her boyfriend in the leg and she fled to my neighbor’s house,” Wegner said. “The deputies were there looking for that guy’s (the shooting victim’s) girlfriend.”

Police action invites Miller to come film while, according to Wegner, he was parked in front of Wegner’s property. Miller launched his intrepid YouTube channel following an altercation he had at the Walmart in S. Bryant in October 2020 during the height of the national ‘defund the police’ movement. Miller was accused of public intoxication at the Walmart by a caller to dispatch. When police arrived, Miller refused to identify himself and the San Angelo Police cuffed him. Since then, Miller has continued to harass law enforcement by showing up at traffic stops and crime scenes to video the police. Miller obtained body camera footage from the police during the Walmart incident and uploaded it to his YouTube channel. He has since uploaded about 62 more videos of San Angelo law enforcement activities.

Wegner unknowingly drove up in his Gator on Miller’s recording of police action at Wegner’s neighbor’s house. Sheriff Nick Hanna said the video has caused concern with his office as calls complaining about the video heightened. Some believed Wegner was an officer of the Sheriff’s Office.

In the video, Wegner asked Miller if Miller wanted to get shot? Miller claimed this was verbal assault. The other interpretation was that Wegner was surmising that sleuthing around people’s private property might scare someone into defending themselves and their property, especially considering how much crime had occurred in that neighborhood over the past several months.

Miller refers to Texas Penal Code 22.01 when Wegner makes his statement about shooting Miller.

“You want me to beat the sh%& out of you?” Wegner asked. “You want [someone] to pull a gun and shoot your a&%?”

“You know you just committed assault,” Miller responds.

The penal code is specific that in order for verbal assault to happen, the defendant has to “knowingly threaten another with imminent bodily injury.”

‘Imminent’ is the keyword here.

Miller claimed he filed a report with the Sheriff’s Office and is awaiting Wegner’s arrest. In the meantime, he has labeled Wegner the “gangsta grandpa” in a subsequent video.

Miller shouldn’t hold his breath, however. Law enforcement may forward the complaint to the county attorney. An indictment requires a grand jury of Miller’s fellow citizens to decide.

Wegner said he has witnessed Miller parked in front of other residences over the past week and it heightened his suspicions.

“I am a little concerned about who drives up and down my road,” he said. “In the Army, if I witnessed someone casing my base, I’d form a quick reaction force to go check that person out,” he said. “And so, I drove up in my Gator to see who he was and what he was doing. He baited me. I was trying to have a friendly conversation and he would not reciprocate. He acted obnoxious.”

The back of Jack Miller's Chevy SUV

The back of Jack Miller's Chevy SUV

Wegner said he didn’t realize he was being filmed until halfway through the conversation.

YouTube is full of videographers claiming constitutional rights to film law enforcement. It is easy content to create and it pays a little cash. According to Clever Finance Girl, a YouTube channel content creator can make $3 to $5 per 1,000 video views. Miller’s channel has received around 500,000 video views since December 2020.

Considering Miller’s small profit motive, were you were on that grand jury, would you indict Mr. Wegner?

Grape Creek resident Ronnie Wegner confronts YouTuber Jack Miller.

Grape Creek resident Ronnie Wegner confronts YouTuber Jack Miller.

Subscribe to the LIVE! Daily

View Past Issues

The LIVE! Daily is the "newspaper to your email" for San Angelo. Each content-packed edition has weather, the popular Top of the Email opinion and rumor mill column, news around the state of Texas, news around west Texas, the latest news stories from San Angelo LIVE!, events, and the most recent obituaries. The bottom of the email contains the most recent rants and comments. The LIVE! daily is emailed 5 days per week. On Sundays, subscribers receive the West Texas Real Estate LIVE! email.

Required

Most Recent Videos

Comments

CGM5, Sat, 04/09/2022 - 15:30

I would like to shake Mr. Wegner's hand. I would mention my thoughts about miller but then the little weasel would be whining about that also. 

Permalink

If Mr. Wegner play he card right. He could sue that provocative SOB for unauthorized filming of their conversion. Because he did not announce that he was filming and he did not ask Mr Wegner's permission to filming him and posting it on YouTube. 

Permalink

Pure ignorance is all I’ve got to say to you. Look up the law and come back to fix your statement. Or just delete it now. 

Permalink

I  have a suspicion that you might be referring to the content below.  

Can You Record Someone Else’s Conversation Taking Place in Public?

Under federal law, 18 USC 2511, it is illegal to record conversations other people are having where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

What you failed to understand first off is that there is  reasonable expectation of privacy in a public setting. None! Zero! 

Not to mention that Miller didn't need permission from anyone to record that day.  The fact that he was recording at all WAS his one party permission.  

So feel free to delete your statement now!

 

Permalink

I wouldn't indict him for the threat, but I would for the assault he committed when he grabbed the phone.

Permalink

I agree with you, he needs to be indicted. He should of waited until Miller came to his yard or property to confront him. Otherwise just keep him in sight and call law enforcement if needed. But yes, there's always someone trying to do someone else's job. I can't fix others, but I can pray for them and hopefully my Lord can hear my prayers for them. 

Permalink

Agreed, although it also appears Miller has cognitive problems.  Nobody should have garbage like that comment about the police displayed on his car, and his behavior was definitely odd.

Permalink
CGM5, Sun, 04/10/2022 - 08:14

The pro miller folks commenting here seem to be a little narrow minded. If a cop started following their car just waiting for them to make a mistake, any mistake and did that every time they got in their car to drive. there would be great gnashing of teeth. There would be charges filed, complaining to no end, youtube videos, blogs on every site that would allow it and hopes for riots in the streets. 

What is the difference between that, miller and those like him that keep their phone cameras in the quick draw position for any uniforms they see? Let's see - (they are in uniform) that is a lame excuse, bad behavior is bad behavior, it doesn't matter if it's a cop or someone like miller. (a cop can injure or kill someone) so can a bad driver. (it's the cool popular thing to do for those that don't have a life) of course, that explains it.

 

Permalink

Regarding this unfortunate incident, it is my somewhat humble opinion that both parties pooped in their messkits.

First, Mr. Miller was acting in a highly disturbing way. His car, after all, carried a pronouncement of utmost disrespect for law enforcement types, and I consider that to be downright stupid and juvenile.  I suspect we have here a child in an adult's body.  He also appears to lack the ability to carry on an adult conversation with someone finding fault with his actions.  His previous encounters with local LEOs  lead one to think he perhaps should check into the East Jesus Home For Those Whose Thinking Ain't Right.

Now to Mr. Wegler:  his actions were little better.  Public roads are, well, public.  While Mr. Miller was doing silly stuff he was breaking no laws, and Mr. Wegler was confrontational from the get-go.  He also made a verbal threat, which while perhaps was not legally actionable was stupid.  His grabbing of Mr. Miller's camera went into legally actionable mode.  By the way, while I appreciate his past service to the country I don't see his going all Rambo as being a benefit to the public.

I politely suggest they both retire to a period of messkit cleaning and simply chill.  I would also prefer that Mr. Miller leave his recording devices at home.

In closing, the headline for this story is stupid.

Peace.

Permalink

No, what is stupid and juvenile is cops that violate the law and think it’s ok. Cops that plant drugs on people just to justify their actions. Cops that harass law abiding citizens but ignore the crime by others at their own discretion. Cops that disregard the constitution as it fits them.

Permalink

The fact that you don't think anything is wrong with a cop following you like a stalker is telling.  

Like you said, cop or not... If a cop breaks the law, he should be punished just like you or I would be.  To also say that there would be posts online, videos on YouTube, you're absolutely right.  You can thank us later.  This is exactly why we have cameras at the ready all the time, to protect YOUR rights just as well as my own!  This is the only way change is going to take place by showing everyone the wrong doings, making it public knowledge and to show them that it's not right and that we are not going to let them get away with it any more!  It does not however mean that we want riots to start in the streets.. That is just Your closed mind talking or perhaps your intelligence or lack of.

Not to mention, a cop targeting a single person, following them day after day waiting for them to mess up not to mention wasting taxpayer dollars and utilizing their position of power for their own sadistic wants or needs is plain creepy at the least.  Why would use that analogy? ?

Besides all that, you know as well as I do, if a cop wants to nail someone, they'll find a way to make it happen by lying.  Happens all the time!  Don't be so naive.  If I had a dime for every time....and so on.

Permalink

I am an Auditor myself and I post videos to my YouTube channel...not all channels make money from their videos...wegner threatened Miller plain and simple...Mr Miller was on public property and happened to be in front of wegner's home, which is NOT illegal and wegner approached miller...it is none of wegner's business what Miller was doing , wegner didnt like the words on the back of Miller's vehicle and that is what triggered wegner...you people in the media always side with the tyrants and it is wrong...who cares if Miller is making money from his youtube channel,  i dont...your company needs to read the statue on assault...verbal assault is a crime because you are threatening someone's well being...wegner's behavior is disgusting and the tyrants are very unprofessional...i have watched the video and filming the tyrants is not illegal either...in my eyes, wegner is nothing more than a book licker...

Permalink

Also, I would love to see wegner charged with assault as his did threaten Miller with violence 

Permalink

If there were a way to check I would almost bet that Wegner was a bully when he was a kid.  Now, as a grown man he just can't get ahead of his past.  The fact that he fought for the very freedoms that Miller was trying to utilize, then stepped in and basically said, "Yeah I fought for those freedoms but I didn't say you could use them in my neighborhood." is all too revealing of who is really is... An old guy with too much idle time and nothing better to do with it than stir the pot and wish that he had used his youth more like Miller.  The type of guy that likes to inject himself into everyone else's business with a holier than thou attitude and no holds barred.  It makes me sad to see all the work he did fighting for rights just to trample on others.  

Miller did absolutely nothing outside of the law and Wegner had ZERO reason to even approach him let alone threaten him with deadly force.  I see it all the time in men his age and older.  Stuck in the past and holding on with vice like grips.  He will never understand the changes that have crept up on him or take the time to understand the now consequences of his actions of today.

Wegner needs to learn that lesson the hard way, even if it means jailing.  I doubt that will happen with this case only because it seems like the "Good ole boys" have fallen into the same mind trap as Wegner.  That is the real tragedy in this scenario.  Justice is pushed aside to allow tyranny to rule the day.  SMH.  I hope and pray that a time will come when the people will finally prevail in teaching the tyrants of the land, that their ways are dead and gone and that the "New laws" they are trying to fight, are really the "Old laws" we are trying to bring back after our too many generations of repression and tyrants pushing aside the constitution along with our rights and liberty.  

A new "World order" may become just what the Dr. ordered, but it's not going to be the one they had in mind. More people are pushing the boundaries of justice and reminding the authorities that they what they have been taught is the opposite of what they claim to be representing...Justice.  They can spout off every code in the police handbook but many don't even know what the 1st amendment is.  

I applaud Miller for actually filling a suit against Wegner and I truly hope he wins.  I also hope that Wegner will find a way to understand what his actions represent and work to change his ways. I'm not holding my breath on that.

Good bless the American people and the Constitution of the United States!

 

 

 

Permalink

As to Joe Hyde, the author of this article... We can easily see who's side you are on.  That title...

"YouTuber attempts defamation of army veteran."???  Really dude?  Miller did nothing of the sort.  Wegner did that all on his own!  

Permalink
live, Thu, 04/28/2022 - 12:22

The point of the headline is to gather attention and discussion. When I talked to Wegner, he believed he was being harassed with a weaponized video, which is true (indeed, 'Gangsta Grandpa' is in the title of one of Miller's videos). Miller already hit the jackpot with a $125,000 settlement from the San Angelo Police Dept. for their 20 minute detention of him for failing to identify himself. Miller uses the video camera to evoke reaction, runs a video channel on YouTube to weaponize those videos first against police—and now against private citizens— who he provokes. Many will agree Miller is attempting to evoke a reaction out of people, whether police or private citizens, or the news media, through the assumptive action that he will post those videos on his youtube channel to generate anger, phone calls, harassing texts or messages, and social media scorn and shame from his audience. All of which I have received for practicing my 1st amendment rights, as has Mr Wegner. Just because a man runs around with a smartphone with the 'video record' button pushed doesn't give him the exclusive rights to our constitution. Miller claimed somewhere he doesn't monetize his videos. However, video pre-roll ads and inset banner ads are all over them. Someone is making money off of his efforts. 

Permalink

Heck yes I would indict him, no one has the right to put hands on another person especially after the threats the old codger made. He should be ashamed of himself. Just because he owns and leases property there it doesn’t give him the right to interrogate, threaten, slander or attack anyone. 
 

Permalink

Heck yes I would indict him, no one has the right to put hands on another person especially after the threats the old codger made. He should be ashamed of himself. Just because he owns and leases property there it doesn’t give him the right to interrogate, threaten, slander or attack anyone. 
 

Permalink

Post a comment to this article here:

Login to CommentRegister to Comment