John was a tow truck driver with Red Beard Towing and a member of Woodridge Baptist Church in North Augusta, GA. He was killed while loading a vehicle onto his truck. The driver who hit him was impaired by drugs and alcohol. Following his death, Rep. Neil Hays introduced HB 2684, the John Mills Bill, which made it a state law to "Slow down & Move over" when approaching emergency responders. He was married with one son, who is now growing up without his father.