Rocky River, Ohio – A Northeast Ohio man has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges for allegedly threatening Republican Congressman Max Miller and his family while they were driving on Interstate 90.
According to Rocky River Police, Feras Hamdan, 36, of Avon, turned himself in with his attorney.
According to police, Miller called 911 around 9:30 a.m. Thursday to report that while driving to work, a man laid on his horn and ran him off the road when he couldn’t get his attention while waving the Palestinian flag.
Miller also claimed that the man yelled “death to Israel” and threatened to kill him and his family during the incident.
Hamdan was charged with aggravated menacing and ethnic intimidation. It’s possible he’ll face more charges.
“I don’t have to tell you last week, where we had two Minnesota senators were murdered, these are very serious charges, we’re talking about a sitting United States Congressman,” said the judge, Joseph Burke. “These are real serious allegations here, and it’s not going to happen on my watch.”
He was granted a $500,000 cash-assured bond during his arraignment in Rocky River Municipal Court on Friday.
According to 19 News, Hamdan is a doctor who practices privately in Avon.
The judge ordered Hamdan to surrender his passport and not to contact Miller or his family.
He is due back in court on July 8.
Rocky River Police, US Capitol Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol Troopers, the FBI, and the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio are all still investigating the incident.
