A Democrat state senator in Cranston, Rhode Island, is accused of keying a car that had a “Biden Sucks” bumper sticker.
Law enforcement said surveillance video recorded 69-year-old Sen. Joshua Miller keying a car parked at the Garden City Center, Fox News reported Monday.
An image shows the suspect and the black vehicle with a long scratch on its door:
The son of the car’s owner reported to officers that he heard a scratching noise when approaching the SUV and saw Miller holding keys.
However, the moment he confronted Miller and asked if he keyed the car, Miller reportedly denied doing so and turned to walk away from him.
According to body camera footage, Miller later told officers he believed the victim recognized him, saying the man was blocking his path and accusing him of scratching the car, which he initially claimed he did not do.
Miller added, “I’m a state senator. I think he recognized me. I think he’s one of the gun nuts.” He also told officers the man called his name even though he did not tell him his name:
However, the officer told him the man “definitely didn’t recognize you.”
“I was worried he is one of the gun nuts who stalks me at the state house, so I kept walking,” Miller stated during his interview with the officer.
He also mentioned police Col. Michael Winquist and told officers to notify him because he knew of alleged threats against Miller from people he deemed “gun nuts” in the area.
But “Mr. Miller never reported any threats to Col. Winquist or any member of the Cranston Police Department,” the Cranston, RI Police Department said in a press release shared Friday.
The victim apparently saw Miller’s “Re-elect Senator Josh Miller” bumper sticker on his vehicle. So, he looked up his name online and realized he was the man involved in the incident.
Once officers saw security footage of the incident, they said it corroborated the witness’s account of what happened, and they later went to Miller’s residence to question him.
During their conversation, Miller alleged the man was threatening him and later admitted to keying the car, stating, “I felt threatened, that’s why I had the keys out,”:
Authorities later charged Miller with a vandalism/malicious injury to property misdemeanor. He was freed on a $1,000 personal recognizance.
He is scheduled to appear in court on July 18.
According to the State of Rhode Island General Assembly website, Miller is the Senate Democratic Policy Chairman representing District 28.
“Sen. Miller has also sponsored legislation to ban the possession, sale or transfer of assault weapons except those grandfathered in and properly registered, as well as a measure banning ‘straw purchases’ of firearms,” the site reads.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.