A Maryland state senator's SUV struck a parked car in Annapolis's Eastport neighborhood last week before ending up parked against a tree on the sidewalk a block away, and residents are now asking why police have said so little about it. Sen. C. Anthony Muse, who represents Prince George's County's District 26, hit the parked vehicle in the 400 block of Severn Avenue at approximately 8:10 p.m. on August 6, then turned onto Fourth Street, where his SUV came to rest atop a tree in the 400 block of that street.
Muse addressed the incident in an email statement, saying his SUV's passenger-side mirror inadvertently struck a parked car's mirror on Severn Avenue, prompting him to turn the corner and park on the curb so he could return and give the owner his insurance information. He called the accident minor and provided a photo of his SUV's damaged passenger-side mirror to back up his account, according to the Baltimore Sun. As reported by WJLA, security camera footage obtained by an Eastport resident showed Muse took several minutes to park his vehicle after striking the parked car a block away, a detail that has fueled residents' skepticism about his version of events.
The resident, who sent the photo to Spotlight on Maryland and requested anonymity, captured the SUV parked against the tree near the Ruth's Chris location in Eastport. Police officers did arrive at the scene where Muse's SUV ended up, but the Sun's reporting notes that as of August 6, the Annapolis Police Department had not publicly stated whether responding officers issued a formal crash report, conducted field sobriety testing, or were pursuing any charges related to the incident.
Neighbors Say the Standard Shouldn't Change for a Senator
The silence from police has not gone unnoticed in a neighborhood known for narrow streets and heavy curb parking near waterfront venues, per the same account. A resident named Alex said he was still outraged about the incident involving the state senator's car. Another Eastport resident, Maeve, said Muse should be held to the same standard as people who are not elected to public office.
Their frustration touches on a legal question with a clear answer. Under Maryland Transportation Code § 20-105, drivers who strike an unattended vehicle or property are required to stop immediately and locate the owner or leave a written notice, according to Justia, with failure to comply carrying penalties of up to two months in jail and a $500 fine, plus points against a driver's state driving record. Official law enforcement policy guidelines, as outlined by the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office, make clear that state legislators do not possess immunity from arrest or prosecution for criminal offenses or traffic violations under the Maryland Transportation Article, even though lawmakers do enjoy limited civil process immunity during legislative sessions.
A Senator With a History of Scrutiny
Muse has served in the Maryland General Assembly for more than two decades, representing District 26 in the Senate from 2007 to 2019 and again since 2023, following an earlier stint in the House of Delegates from 1995 to 1999, according to the Maryland State Archives. He returned to the State House during the week of August 3 for a special legislative session, following a year in which the General Assembly overrode 19 gubernatorial vetoes in December 2025.
The crash lands amid a string of controversies for Muse. In January 2026, he resigned from a $180,000-a-year ombudsman role in the Prince George's County procurement office after the Maryland General Assembly's Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics ruled that state lawmakers cannot hold paid local government jobs, according to Wikipedia; Muse had initially indicated he would challenge the ruling before stepping down. Then in March 2026, the owner of Reynolds Tavern and 1747 Pub in Annapolis publicly accused Muse's office of harassment, claiming his chief of staff invoked the senator's political position during a dispute over a comped meal.
Outside the State House, Muse is an ordained minister who founded the Ark of Safety Christian Church in Upper Marlboro in 1999 and serves as its senior pastor, according to BallotReady. For now, the central question in Eastport remains unresolved: whether Annapolis police will treat the senator's crash and hasty parking job the same way they would treat any other driver's.
