UPDATE: (December 20, 2020) - According to Clay County Sheriff's PR Officer Trent Baker, the ATV mentioned in this article was in no way connected to the death of Mr. Mills. The ATV had been requested by emergency personnel and when it became immobilized, a towing service was called.
MANCHESTER, KY (December 19, 2020) - The Clay County Sheriff's Office reported on December 18, 2020 that Deputies with the Clay County Sheriff's office were dispatched to a wooded area off Sizemore Park Road in the Horse Creek Community of Clay County, Kentucky in regards to a male subject that had been located.
A ClayCoNews staff member is reporting that: While walking a family dog on Friday, December 18, 2020 they met a Horse Creek Fire & Rescue vehicle which stopped and the driver informed them that more vehicles including a towed Razor ATV would be exiting the Lee Sizemore Road onto Curry Branch Road.
When questioned, the person operating the Horse Creek Fire & Rescue vehicle replied "no comment".
Immediately following was Clay County Sheriff Patrick Robinson who stopped and informed the ClayCoNews staff person that a body believed to be that of Joey Mills had been located and further details and identification would be made available pending autopsy results and the Clay County Coroner's report. Sheriff Robinson did not mention any Razor ATV at all.
Later, a witness reported seeing a towing service vehicle and what appeared to be a damaged ATV leaving the area traveling towards Hwy. 80.
The victim was later identified as:
Joey Mills age 58 of Curry Branch who had been missing since Saturday morning December 12, 2020 when he was last seen near his home on Curry Branch Road.
On Saturday night December 19, 2020 ClayCoNews contacted the Clay County Sheriff's PR Officer Trent Baker regarding the Razor ATV that was reported by the Horse Creek Fire & Rescue and seen leaving the area by witnesses that say the ATV appeared to have been in a crash.
Officer Baker's reply was: I'm not 100 percent sure about the ATV. In the morning I can let you know on the whole situation.
At this point, according to witnesses, it's certain that an ATV (apparently crashed) was somehow involved in the incident but as to whether the victim was operating it or the vehicle was being used in a body recovery effort and crashed is currently unclear.
Officer Baker said that he will look into the matter further for a more detailed description of the incident and release anymore information that is found to be relevant.
