A Port Townsend High School math teacher who was arrested March 18 in a classroom after allegedly threatening the principal has a history of bipolar disorder, according to court records.

James "Jim" Keith Miller, 52, of Port Angeles was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1985 and has struggled with the mental condition ever since, according to declarations made by family members in February in a separate legal proceeding in Clallam County Superior Court.

Miller remains in the Jefferson County Jail in Port Hadlock on $150,000 bond after making an initial appearance in Jefferson County Superior Court on March 21. Prosecutors have charged Miller with harassment and second-degree burglary. His arraignment is set for March 25.

Miller, who has worked at the district since the 2010-11 school year, allegedly threatened Principal Carrie Ehrhardt's life, then visited his classroom after having been told not to return to the PTHS campus.

“The alleged threat is fairly remarkable and extraordinary, I believe,” Judge Keith Harper said in court March 21.

INCIDENT

Ehrhardt placed Miller on paid administrative leave Feb. 4 after Miller was reportedly acting irrationally in class and during a conference with Ehrhardt. Suspecting Miller was in a manic state, school officials arranged for police that day to take Miller to Jefferson Healthcare, where he was evaluated by Jefferson Mental Health.

At about 9:40 a.m. March 18, Ehrhardt met with Miller and his teacher's union representative at the Bayview Restaurant while a plain-clothed Port Townsend Police officer Jeremy Vergin, assigned as the school resource officer, and Vice Principal Scott R. Wilson sat nearby for security.

Back at the school office at about 11:30 a.m., Ehrhardt told Vergin that Miller threatened her during the meeting, allegedly saying, “Carrie, you are the [expletive] reason that I am not able to be with my children and I'm going to [expletive] kill you.”

At 11:38 a.m., Miller visited his classroom in the math and science building on the high school campus in spite of having been reminded during the meeting that he is not allowed on campus, according to court records.

Miller had called the school secretary multiple times to say he planned to visit his classroom to collect his belongings, according to police.

Officer Vergin and Ehrhardt went to Miller's classroom where Ehrhardt looked inside and saw Miller. A campus-wide lockdown was initiated while Vergin awaited police backup.

When Miller entered the fourth-period class being taught by a substitute teacher, he began removing personal items from the wall, appeared to be talking on his cell phone, described personal details of his life to students, and asked students if anyone had been talking about him while he was away, according to police. Students in the classroom and adjoining rooms reported hearing Miller shouting foul language.

PTPD Sgt. Garin Williams arrived at 12:02 p.m., according to JeffCom911, and the two officers entered the second-floor classroom.

Miller was holding a folded pocket knife, which he set on a desk as the officers entered the classroom, according to police. Miller otherwise resisted arrest as the officers took him to the floor and applied handcuffs, police said.

School administrators escorted the students out of the classroom and the building, and across the lawn to the library inside the campus main building.

Once Miller was removed from campus, the lockdown was lifted. Vergin and Williams then spoke to students in the library, answering questions. Counseling was also available to students.

No students or staff were injured. Ehrhardt sent a letter to parents March 18. According to that letter, no students were threatened.

While PTPD Detective Luke Bogues transported Miller to the jail in Port Hadlock, Miller allegedly said he suffers from bipolar disorder.

IN COURT

Aside from honoring the prosecution's request for $150,000 bond, Judge Harper ordered that if Miller is released he must not visit school property or contact Ehrhardt, Wilson or any other district employees or students. Harper signed a no-contact order protecting Ehrhardt.

“I'm not convinced that you are going to follow court orders,” Judge Harper told Miller in court. “I believe right now that you create a danger to the community and specifically a danger to the alleged victim in this case along with possible other employees at the school.”

Miller, appearing from the jail by a video link, interrupted Judge Harper, saying “Sir, I cannot hear you. Their radios are going off. I cannot hear you.”

Miller leaned in, pushing microphones closer to a speaker, creating an echo in the courtroom.

“I don't think the court should hold it against him that he wants what he is constitutionally entitled to, and that is notice and an opportunity to be heard and at least to see and hear what's going on,” defense attorney Richard Davies said in court.

“I understand the alarm, but this is a guy with no criminal history whatsoever,” Davies said, arguing that Miller should be released on his own recognizance. “He will abide by the court's rules.”

Miller asked whether bond could be set at $90,000, saying that's as much cash as he has access to.

“Could the bail be reduced to $90,000 if I agree to not even approach Port Townsend?” he asked. “Ninety-thousand dollars is still a lot of money.”

Judge Harper told Miller to discuss the issue with Davies at a later time.

BIPOLAR HISTORY

At about 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3, Miller's wife returned to their Port Angeles home after a run to find the doors locked, according to Clallam County Superior Court records.

Miller refused to let her in at first, but eventually allowed her in to retrieve her purse and keys, according to court records.

Miller's wife then left to pick up their two teenage daughters and decided the three of them would not return home that night, according to court documents.

On Feb. 4, Miller allegedly became irrational during a conference with Ehrhardt at PTHS, according to court records.

On Feb. 5, a Clallam County Superior Court judge granted Miller's wife a temporary protection order protecting herself and their two children.

On Feb. 24, Miller's wife filed for a legal separation in Clallam County Superior Court. According to court records, the two were married in 1991 in Spokane, Washington. The Clallam court required Miller surrender any firearms or dangerous weapons. His wife has indicated in court records that he does not own any firearms or dangerous weapons.

Court records indicate the family moved to Port Angeles in 2008 or 2009, where Miller worked at Port Angeles High School for about a year before being hired at Port Townsend High School.

Multiple declarations by family members indicate Miller was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1985, and has since experienced intermittent periods of manic highs when not taking prescribed medication, according to court records.

(The first version of this story appeared March 18 on ptleader.com)