Councilmember Molly Miller said she was at a Park City spring projects open house June 2 when a resident “angrily” approached her and “forcefully smacked” her arm.
The alleged altercation at the Park City Library occurred during a discussion of the 5-acre Bonanza Park site.
Miller said the smack did not hurt but made her very uncomfortable. While it may look like a small incident, she said it represents something much larger.
“The problem is not the force of the impact; it's weaponizing unwelcome contact, and that can indicate a loss of self-control and that someone is willing to cross physical boundaries to force someone to comply, or to intimidate them,” Miller told KPCW.
KPCW obtained security camera video of the incident on Monday through a public records request.
In the video, Miller can be seen from behind speaking to residents. Around 6:40 p.m., a man in a green shirt and ballcap approaches her and puts his hand on her shoulder, turning her toward him.
The security footage shows them speaking and gesturing. The man then appears to smack Miller’s left arm before walking away. The interaction lasts about 25 seconds.
It’s not clear from the video who Miller is speaking to; the angle shows him only from the side and cuts off the top of his head. Sunlight streaming into the library also makes it difficult to see.
Miller recounted the interaction again on Monday and identified the man, but KPCW is not publishing his name because it cannot be independently verified. The man did not respond to KPCW’s request for comment.
“He was shaking with rage. I don't remember the exact words, but he hissed something to the effect of, ‘Are you telling people that only 100 people are opposed to the 5-acre project?’” Miller said. “I responded, ‘Yes, that I believed that was accurate.’”
Based on public comment opportunities, emails and letters, Miller told him between 60 and 70 people shared their objections to the project. Miller said the man then called her disingenuous.
“At that point, he used the back of his hand to quickly and forcefully smack my upper left arm and started to walk away,” she said.
After getting home, Miller reported the incident to the Park City Police Department. The city confirmed the incident was referred to the Utah Attorney General’s Office to avoid a conflict of interest.
A message left with a spokesperson for the attorney general after business hours was not immediately returned Monday.
The Park City Council gave preliminary approval for Bonanza Park site plans in March.
Since then, a loosely organized group of residents called Place PC has recently formed to oppose 5-acre plans and advocate for more open space on the property. Dozens of members attended the open house wearing green to advocate for more green space.
