An Ohio man is facing serious charges after allegedly running Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) off the road while shouting anti-Semitic slurs and waving a Palestinian flag, in what authorities are treating as a hate-fueled act of intimidation against a sitting member of Congress.
Feras S. Hamdan was arraigned Friday in Rocky River Municipal Court on a misdemeanor charge of menacing with an ethnic intimidation enhancement. The charge stems from a disturbing roadside confrontation that Miller said endangered both his life and the lives of his family members.
According to Miller, the suspect aggressively forced his vehicle off the road, hurled vile anti-Semitic slurs, and brandished a Palestinian flag before speeding away. Miller, who is Jewish and a former U.S. Marine, took to social media shortly afterward to speak out against the rising tide of hatred and political violence.
“The deranged hatred in this country has gotten out of control,” Miller posted on X. “Today I was run off the road in Rocky River, and the life of me and my family was threatened by a person who proceeded to show a Palestinian flag before taking off.”
Miller said the suspect screamed “death to Israel” and threatened to kill him and his family, adding that the encounter became violent when the man failed to get Miller’s attention by waving the flag. The incident was reported to both local police and the U.S. Capitol Police, who assisted in the arrest.
At Hamdan’s arraignment, Judge Joseph Burke made it clear that threats against elected officials would not be tolerated, setting bail at $500,000—far higher than the $25,000 personal recognizance bond recommended by prosecutors.
“These are real serious allegations here. It’s not gonna happen on my watch,” Burke said, referencing recent violent attacks on public servants. “Someone’s gonna get harmed.”
If Hamdan posts bail, he will be placed on GPS monitoring and must surrender his passport.
In a follow-up video, Miller urged Americans to reject political violence and outlined the appropriate way for constituents to engage with lawmakers.
“If you have an issue with a legislator, the appropriate thing to do is to reach out for a phone call or schedule a meeting,” Miller said. “What is not OK is to assault anyone, whether they’re a member of Congress or not.”
Miller described the suspect as “unhinged” and said he became enraged when Miller refused to respond to his flag-waving. “We will not hide,” Miller declared. “And I will continue to fight against anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and all other forms of hate.”
The U.S. Capitol Police praised the rapid arrest and reiterated their policy of zero tolerance toward threats against elected officials.
“This arrest is a prime example of the USCP’s stance toward threats,” the agency said in a statement. “We will continue to protect those who serve in government.”