Man sentenced to 96 months in prison for drunken driving that injured a Nevada trooper

MINDEN, Nev. (KOLO) – A man has been sentenced to 96 months in prison and a $2,000 fine for driving while intoxicated and causing significant bodily harm after colliding with a Nevada State Police trooper in 2023.

James Arthur Coolbaugh will be eligible for parole after serving 30 months.

The court found that on October 23 last year, Coolbaugh was driving his pickup truck north on US395 through the Carson Valley in the southbound lanes, driving the wrong way. Several people called 911 to report Coolbaugh as a wrong-way driver who refused to stop for police and continued to drive the wrong way on the highway.

The pursuit ended when a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper, identified as Ross Miller, drove south toward Coolbaugh and collided with him in a head-on collision.

Police obtained a search warrant for samples of Coolbaugh’s blood, which was found to have an alcohol content of 0.176%.

Miller was flown to Renown on Care Flight and, according to him and his family, is experiencing significant, ongoing and life-changing health issues. They also shared that Miller has not yet been able to return to work.

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