A Rhode Island Democratic state senator was arrested after allegedly keying a car that had a “Biden Sucks” bumper sticker affixed to it, according to authorities.
State Sen. Joshua Miller, 69, was charged with vandalism/malicious injury to property for allegedly scratching a Nissan Pathfinder next to his pick-up truck at a shopping center parking lot Thursday night, police said.
The Nissan’s owner and passenger heard a loud scratching noise against their car, and then saw the mark on their vehicle. When the passenger asked Miller if he was responsible, the Democratic lawmaker flatly denied it, Cranston police said.
The victim then saw the car next to his had a “Re-elect Senator Josh Miller” bumper sticker in the back of the car, prompting him to look up the name.
“He then looked up Senator Josh Miller on the internet on his cell phone, which returned a photo of him,” the police said in a new release. “He immediately recognized the subject in the photo as the person he suspected of keying his vehicle.”
Authorities were called to the scene, and after a couple of hours located Miller in the parking lot walking back to his car.
Miller told police officers he believed the passenger who confronted him was “one of the gun nuts” who stalks him at the statehouse, according to police body cam footage obtained by Fox News Digital. He additionally said he believed the occupants recognized him as a state senator.
He denied any involvement in the car keying in his first interview with police, the footage shows.
Miller was allowed to leave the scene as officers reviewed surveillance footage from the parking lot that later matched up with the victims’ version of events, Cranston police said.
A photo released of the vandalized vehicle shows a “Biden Sucks” bumper sticker on the upper right side of the car.
When officers arrived at Miller’s home later that day, he admitted to damaging the car, according to police and the bodycam footage of the interaction obtained by Fox News.
The lawmaker then accused the owner of yelling at and threatening him, claiming that he “dared him” to key the car, police said.
“I felt threatened,” Miller said on camera.
When the officer asked why he keyed the car in response, Miller replied, “Because he was daring me to, basically” the footage shows.
Miller, who was elected to the Rhode Island state senate in 2006, was released on his own recognizance.
“Nobody is above the law, including those who make and enforce the laws,” Colonel Michael Winquist said in a statement.
