Jason Scott Miller Jr., 25, of Lowell, has been charged following an incident outside Kennan Liquors in St. John where a man was allegedly struck and cut on the hand with a broken glass bottle.

According to court documents, St. John Police responded to Kennan Liquors at approximately 6:26 p.m. August 6, 2026, for a report of a battery with a weapon. Police arrived and found the victim outside the business holding his bleeding right hand, with a fair amount of blood droplets on the ground. The victim stated an unknown man wearing a black hoodie had “stabbed him with a broken glass bottle” before running away toward Parrish Avenue. Medics observed a medium-sized laceration on the top of the victim’s hand between his thumb and index finger and advised he would most likely need stitches.

The victim told police that when he and another man arrived at the liquor store, Miller approached them and asked if they had “smokes” and said he had $20 to purchase some. The victim said he did not have any cigarettes and was not interested before the two men went inside. While they were inside, the victim allegedly saw Miller pick up a black cigarette receptacle outside the business, walk toward the front door and swing it halfway into the air in an aggressive manner. When the victim went back outside and asked Miller what he was going to do with it, Miller allegedly told him, “I will shoot you in your fu* skull.” The victim then returned inside to finish shopping.

When the victim and the other man exited the store, they allegedly saw Miller waiting outside near the sidewalk with a broken glass bottle in his hand. The victim stated Miller swung at him with the glass bottle, striking his right hand and cutting it. The victim said he pushed Miller to the ground in an attempt to stop him from striking him again with the broken bottle before Miller fled northwest toward Parrish Avenue.

Police reviewed surveillance footage from Kennan Liquors that captured most of the incident. According to the affidavit, the footage showed Miller pick up the cigarette receptacle and act like he was going to swing it before later bending over and picking up a glass bottle from a trash can. Miller was subsequently seen waiting outside when the two men exited the store. Police later found a broken Starbucks Frappuccino glass bottle on the sidewalk near the southeast corner of the liquor store and located the top of the broken bottle inside the same trash can where Miller was seen retrieving the bottle.

Police searching the area later observed a man matching the suspect’s description moving west through a soybean field near the 10600 block of Parrish Avenue. Officers pursued the man through the field and eventually caught up with him. The man cooperated with commands to get on the ground and was placed in handcuffs before identifying himself as Miller and admitting he was the man involved in the incident.

Miller initially claimed the other man confronted him and threatened to harm him. He later claimed the man threatened him with a weapon, attacked him, took him to the ground and began stomping his head. Police reported they did not see any injuries on Miller. Miller claimed he had defended himself, which was why he was not injured, and denied stabbing anyone, having any weapons, or disposing of any weapons. The victim later denied knowing Miller or having ever met him.

According to court documents, Miller later admitted to police that he was running through the field to evade officers. When asked why he fled into the grassy field near Parrish Avenue, Miller told police “that he ran in the field because he was attempting to evade the police.”

During a later interview, Miller claimed another man randomly told him that once he got out of the store he was going to “beat the fu** out of him.” Miller admitted he had a glass bottle and held it in his hand, claiming the other man ran toward him and began beating on him. Miller stated he heard the man say the bottle had struck his hand before he stopped. Miller also claimed he knew the man from previous encounters but did not know his name and said they had relationships with a few of the same women before.

Miller told police he retrieved the glass bottle from the trash can. When asked why he did not walk away and call 911 (tel:911) if he was afraid of being hurt, Miller replied that he still wanted to go inside the liquor store to purchase liquor. Miller admitted he “broke the glass bottle” and only used it for a “scare tactic.” Miller also admitted asking the two men if they had “smokes” and later admitted picking up the cigarette receptacle, claiming he did so because the other man was going to beat him. Investigators reported Miller’s description of the incident was inconsistent with the surveillance footage and the victim’s statements. Miller was subsequently transported to the Lake County Jail.

Charges filed August 7, 2026:

• Battery by Means of a Deadly Weapon — Level 5 Felony
• Intimidation: Threat to Commit a Forcible Felony — Level 6 Felony
• Battery Resulting in Moderate Bodily Injury — Level 6 Felony
• Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury — Class A Misdemeanor