PORT TOWNSEND — A Superior Court judge on Monday imposed a $150,000 bond on a Port Townsend High School teacher who allegedly threatened the school’s principal.
“The alleged threat was extraordinary,” Jefferson County Superior Court Judge Keith Harper told defendant James Keith Miller, 52, on Monday.
“I am not sure you will follow the court’s orders [for no contact].”
Miller is being held for investigation of one count of burglary in the second degree and one count of harassment, threats to kill. Under Washington RCWs, burglary is defined as entering a property or structure with the intent to commit a crime and does not indicate intent for theft.
He is scheduled for arraignment at 8:30 a.m. Friday in Jefferson County Superior Court, 1820 Jefferson St.
Miller, a mathematics teacher who is now on paid administrative leave, is accused of threatening to kill principal Carrie Ehrhardt during a Friday breakfast meeting at the Bayview Restaurant. The two met to discuss his future with the district.
The meeting also included Miller’s union representative.
‘Security reasons’
Port Townsend Police Officer Jeremy Vergin was also in the restaurant in plainclothes “for security reasons,” according to the probable cause statement, but he did not hear the conversation.
According to the statement, Miller told Ehrhardt she was “the [expletive] reason that I am not able to see my children and I’m going to [expletive] kill you.”
At that time, Ehrhardt completed a protection order application against Miller “based on her concern this is a very real threat,” according to the statement.
Hours after the meeting, Miller drove to the high school campus where he entered his former classroom where students were present.
Miller began removing personal items from the wall, appeared to be talking on his cellphone, described personal details of his life to students and started asking the teenagers if anyone had been talking about him since he was placed on leave earlier in the year, according to police.
Vergin, along with Sgt. Garin Williams, arrived at the classroom and took Miller into custody.
Recommended bond
Deputy Prosecutor Julian St. Marie recommended $150,000 bond Monday while public defender Richard Davies, acting on Miller’s behalf, asked that he be released on his own recognizance. Davies is a public defender but had not been formally retained.
Miller made his initial court appearance through a video link from the jail which caused some difficulty as he could not adequately hear or see the proceedings, he said repeatedly.
At various times, he said that Jail Superintendent Steve Richmond “is not treating me kindly” and that radios in the jail were making it impossible for him to hear.
In an effort to hear, Miller leaned forward and pushed the microphones closer to the speaker which caused an echo effect in the courtroom.
On two occasions, Miller interrupted the proceedings and shouted that he could not hear; Harper told him to “keep quiet.”
Davies said that Miller should not be penalized for his outbursts.
“We have used video to make it easier for law enforcement but it has problems,” Davies said.
“I don’t think the court should hold it against him if he wants what he is constitutionally entitled to — to see and hear what’s going on.”
Miller was being held in Jefferson County Jail as of Monday.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
