A South Carolina pastor, John-Paul Miller, who leads Solid Rock Ministries in Myrtle Beach, was arrested by police on Wednesday. This incident occurred after a conflict outside his church.
Miller faces charges of third-degree assault and battery after an encounter with a woman. The dispute was caught on video, which drew a crowd of onlookers and protesters. In the footage, it appeared that Miller was taking a photo of the woman while they exchanged heated words.
The woman was heard yelling, “You touched me! Don’t you touch me, you psychopath!” A bystander filming remarked, “You’re cracking, JP. The FBI’s coming. We told you.”
The confrontation was reportedly sparked when Miller drove by the church and noticed groups gathered outside, prompting him to return.
The arrest follows a search conducted by the FBI at Miller’s home earlier in November as part of an investigation into allegations of “interstate domestic violence” related to events before the death of his late wife, Mica Miller.
In addition to the criminal charges, Miller is facing civil lawsuits from alleged victims. The church members were informed on Sunday that services would no longer continue, and the school associated with it, Faith First Academy, has also ceased operations due to declining enrollment amid the controversy.
Earlier this year, Mica was found deceased in a remote area, and her death was ruled a suicide. This tragic event followed her recent filing of divorce papers against Miller, accompanied by multiple allegations of abuse.
Since Mica’s passing, protests have been ongoing outside the church, with demonstrators demanding justice and questioning the circumstances surrounding her death.
In a recent video, protesters confronted Miller after the altercation, demanding that police act on his behavior. Following these incidents, he appeared before a magistrate and was released on a personal recognizance bond.
