A Democratic state senator from Rhode Island was arrested after he allegedly keyed a car that had a “Biden Sucks” bumper sticker on it.
Sen. Joshua Miller, 69, was caught on video keying a car at the Garden City Center in Cranston, Rhode Island on Thursday.
According to Fox News, the son of the man who owns the car told police that he heard scratching sounds when he walked back to the car and saw the senator with keys in his hand. The man asked Miller if he keyed the car, which he denied, and walked away.
About two hours later, police encountered Miller. Fox News obtained a video of police asking Miller if he keyed the vehicle. Miller denied it and allowed the officers to look at his keys for paint transfer.
“He was blocking my way, saying I scratched his car. I didn’t scratch his car. I’m a state senator. I think he recognized me. I think he’s one of the gun nuts,” Miller said in the video. He added that Col. Michael Winquist, the chief of police, was aware of threats against him from “gun nuts.”
Fox noted that the victim identified Miller as the vandal, and his mother said she thought he didn’t like the “Biden sucks” bumper sticker on their car.
Surveillance video shows the moments Senator Josh Miller is accused of keying an SUV with an anti-Biden sticker at Garden City
— Amanda Pitts (@AmandaPittsTV) June 23, 2023
He first tells Cranston PD he didn't do it, then when they show up at his house and say they have video, he admits to it @wpri12 https://t.co/Fn78uKFKrt pic.twitter.com/vt8Zw3sZD0
In a press release, the Cranston Police Department announced that Miller was charged with vandalism/malicious injury to property.
“It should be noted that Mr. Miller stated to the Officer who stopped him that he was being stalked and threatened by ‘gun nuts’ at the State House, and he believed the person in the vehicle may have recognized him as a State Senator and threatened him for that reason. He told the Officer to call Colonel Michael Winquist, who was aware of the threats and was patrolling the area of his home. Mr. Miller never reported any threats to Colonel Winquist or any member of the Cranston Police Department,” the press release said.
According to the police department, officers viewed surveillance footage of the incident and went to Miller’s residence to re-interview him. At that point, Miller admitted to damaging the car because “the owner had been yelling at him and ‘dared him’ to do it,” the press release said.
“Nobody is above the law, including those who make and enforce laws,” Winquist said in a statement. “The Officers who handled this investigation did so with fairness, integrity, and without preferential treatment. I would expect no less from the fine men and women of the Cranston Police Department.”