A pastor husband who came under suspicion after his wife’s high-profile suicide in the spring has been arrested days after an FBI raid on his South Carolina home.
John-Paul Miller, 45, was arrested Wednesday and charged with assault and battery. The arrest had nothing to do with the raid on his home Friday, he reported WMBF.
A witness captured footage of the incident, which showed a woman chasing John-Paul in a parking lot and harassing him. The woman is believed to be a “Justice for Mica” protester who claims the pastor was involved in the death of his wife Mica Miller in April.
John-Paul was initially seen running away from the woman, Sandra Karon, as she screamed at him. He then turns around, confronts her and shouts back, “What did you say? You walked straight to me.”
Karon told WMBF that Miller stood in front of her and tapped her in the hat with his phone, resulting in the assault charge.
John-Paul Miller, 45, a pastor who came under suspicion after his wife’s high-profile suicide in the spring, has been arrested following an FBI raid on his home
John-Paul’s wife Mica Miller committed suicide in April, and her death drew national attention as her husband’s behavior in the weeks after her death came under scrutiny.
Footage of the incident showed a ‘Justice for Mica’ protester clashing with John-Paul outside his church, and his allegations of assault stemmed from him tapping her hat with his phone.
John-Paul previously raised eyebrows when he delivered a bizarre sermon following his wife’s apparent suicide in April, sparking a wave of allegations of “abuse” in their marriage and his “sexual encounters” with underage girls.
Police have not indicated that they believe John-Paul was involved in his wife’s death.
Following his arrest, John-Paul will appear in court on Thursday for a bail hearing and will be arraigned again on December 10.
The assault and battery charges are reportedly not related to an FBI raid on his home on Friday, the nature of which remains a mystery.
Neighbors said at the time they were told officers were there to execute a search warrant, with Miller believed not to be home when police arrived.
Karon said her clash with Miller began Wednesday when she and other local residents went to Miller’s church, Market Common Church, after hearing rumors that it was being cleared of its contents.
Karon believed the clearing of the church was related to the FBI raid and said she next saw Miller in the church, prompting her to chase him down and call him a number of expletives.
Sandra Karon