Rhode Island State Senator Joshua Miller, 69, a Democrat representing Cranston and Providence, has been arrested and charged with Vandalism/Malicious Injury to Property.
He is accused of deliberately defacing another man’s car because of an anti-Biden bumper sticker on the vehicle.
According to a report by WJAR News in Providence, Senator Joshua Miller allegedly scratched a car with a key. The incident occurred at the Garden City Shopping Center on a Thursday afternoon.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud scratching sound as they returned to their vehicle from shopping.
Cranston police were called to the scene after the victim reported the alleged vandalism.
“Police observed a single long scratch mark on the rear passenger door, consistent with that of a car being freshly “keyed.” The vehicle had a sticker in the rear window which said “Biden sucks,” Rhode Island Current reported.
WJAR News reported that Miller was apprehended in Garden City around two hours after the complaint was lodged.
According to the Cranston police body camera footage, Miller was dressed in the same attire as described by the witnesses, except for his jacket, which he had tucked away in a bag.
When asked by the police about changing clothes at the scene, Miller said, “I took my jacket off, that’s not against the law.”
News : State Senator Josh Miller confirms his arrest by Cranston PD for malicious damage :
Me: “did you key a Trump supporter’s car?”
JM: “I have to review the charges?”
Me: “did you change clothes to avoid identification?”
JM: “I took my jacket off, that’s not against the law”. pic.twitter.com/gPPgfmBniR— Gene Valicenti (@GeneValicenti) June 23, 2023
Miller denied causing any damage to the vehicle and alleged that the car’s owner had followed and verbally threatened him.
Miller further speculated, “I am a state senator. I think he recognized me. I think he is one of those ‘gun nuts.”
The surveillance footage from the shopping center showed Miller standing next to the damaged vehicle. When police later visited Miller’s home for questioning, the senator confessed to the act.
In the body camera recording, Major Todd Patalano can be heard asking Miller, “We got evidence, so you tell us how you want to handle this. You keyed his car?” to which Miller admitted, “Yeah.”
Miller justified his actions by stating the car owner was yelling at him and “dared him,” to do it. In response, Patalano suggested, “We can make either make a big deal of this or a little deal, so.” To which Miller sought the officer’s recommendation, expressing his unwillingness to be accused of a cover-up.
Agreeing with the officer’s sentiments, Miller voluntarily proceeded to the Cranston Police Headquarters, where he was charged with vandalism and malicious injury to property.
The senator was released on $1,000 personal recognizance and will be formally arraigned in court this July 18, according to WJAR.
WATCH:
Surveillance video shows the moments Senator Josh Miller is accused of keying an SUV with an anti-Biden sticker at Garden City
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
— Amanda Pitts (@AmandaPittsTV) June 23, 2023