A Democratic member of the Rhode Island state senate was arrested last week for allegedly keying the vehicle of a supporter of former President Donald Trump, according to the police.
Thursday, police in Cranston, Rhode Island, reported that state Senator Joshua Miller admitted to keying an SUV at a retail center.
In a Facebook-posted press release, the Cranston Police Department displayed a photograph of a black Nissan Xterra with a dent on the rear passenger side.
On the rear window of the SUV is a decal that reads “BIDEN SUCKS.”
According to WJAR-TV in Providence, the vehicle’s owner, who was not named in the news release, is a Trump supporter.
Thursday, the individual contacted officers at the Garden City Shopping Center to report vehicle damage.
“On June 22, 2023, at approximately 3:39 PM, a Patrol Officer was dispatched to a call in the Garden City Shopping Center regarding an SUV reportedly vandalized at this location,” the department said.
“[The victim] stated that when returning to their vehicle, they heard a loud scratching noise consistent with someone keying a vehicle.”
The proprietor of the Nissan stated that he confronted a man holding a key who was near the vehicle, but the man fled swiftly.
Police say that when confronted with the damage, Miller denied responsibility to the vehicle’s owner. In addition, the victim stated that a car was located next to his that had not been there before.
The fender emblem on the vehicle read, “Re-elect Senator Josh Miller.”
The victim used a phone to research Miller and reported to police that the senator was the same man he had confronted and that he wished to press charges.
Officers reportedly began searching for the lawmaker afterward.
“Officers checked the shopping plaza and were initially unable to locate a person matching the suspect’s description,” police said. “Approximately two hours later, Joshua Miller was observed wearing the same clothing except for his suit jacket, which was inside a bag he was carrying.”
Miller was questioned but permitted to depart because the misdemeanor he was accused of was a minor offense.
A body camera clip of the interaction was posted online and subsequently shared by Rhode Island Republican Party chairman Joe Powers, who labeled the alleged actions “unbecoming of anyone holding a leadership position.”
This behavior is unbecoming of anyone holding a leadership position. State Senator Joshua Miller has proven once again the he does not have the composure required to represent every constituent in his district and must resign immediately. https://t.co/MZdKqm13kT
— Joe Powers (@RIGOPChairman) June 23, 2023
Miller made imprecise accusations about “gun nuts” he claimed were pursuing him in the video.
Miller’s response to a query about the Second Amendment has since resurfaced in an old video clip.
His reply was, “Go f*** yourself.”
After releasing Miller, police reviewed footage from a shopping center camera and observed the Democrat vandalizing the victim’s vehicle.
When confronted with the evidence, officers allegedly visited Miller’s residence, where he acknowledged to his actions. He was arraigned, charged with vandalism and malicious property damage, and then released.
In a statement regarding the devastation of property, police stated that no one “is above the law, including those who make and enforce the laws.”
“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,” Cranston Police Col. Michael Winquist said.
Miller, elected to the Rhode Island state Senate for the first time in 2006, is scheduled to appear in court on July 18.