HollyMatkinRichmond, TX – The driver of the pickup with a “F**k Trump” sticker on the back window has added a “F**k Troy Nehls” decal to her display (uncensored picture below.)
The new sticker is directed at Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy E. Nehls, after truck owner Karen Fonseca, 46, was arrested on Thursday on an unrelated, outstanding warrant for fraudulent use or possession of identifying information, KPRC reported.
Fonseca was released about four hours later, after posting a $1,500 bond.
The series of events began after the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office started receiving complaints from citizens regarding the truck’s “offensive display.“
Sheriff Nehls posted a photo of the white GMC Sierra light-duty truck on his social media account, showing the sticker on the vehicle’s back window.
In his Facebook post, Sheriff Nehls sought help in tracking down the owner of the vehicle.
“Our Prosecutor has informed us she would accept disorderly conduct charges regarding it,” Sheriff Nehls posted, “but I feel we could come to an agreement regarding a modification to it.”
In a press conference, Sheriff Nehls said he understood the First Amendment free speech aspect of the sticker, but that the portion that targeted voters was a concern.
“The problem that I see is that when you start targeting an individual, the language after that says and ‘F-U if you voted for him.’ That’s the fine line we have here,” Sheriff Nehls said.
“In the world we live in today, with the heavily traveled roads that we have in Fort Bend County, and people have called and are offended by this language. I want to reach out to the owner of the truck,” he said.
Believing the sticker violated no laws, Fonseca, a former Fort Bend County Jail employee, proudly identified herself to the media.
She claimed the sticker had been on the window of her truck for 11 months, and that it hadn’t created any issues until now, KPRC said.
“It’s not to cause hate or animosity,” said Fonseca. “It’s just our freedom of speech and we’re exercising it.”
After her Thursday press conference, authorities contacted Fonseca and arrested her on her previously issued, outstanding warrant.
According to KPRC, the Fort Bend Sheriff’s Office issued the following statement on Thursday:
“The Sheriff made the post on his Personal page. The objective of the post was to find the owner/driver of the truck and have a conversation with them in order to prevent a potential altercation between the truck driver and those offended by the message. Since the owner of the truck has been identified, the Sheriff took down the post. Due to the hate messages he has been receiving towards his wife and children, the Sheriff will not be commenting on the matter further.”
According to court documents, Fonseca was charged with fraudulent use or possession of identifying information in July, 2017, after the case went before the Fort Bend County grand jury, KPRC reported.
The original offense allegedly occurred in March and April of 2014.
Fonseca claimed her arrest on the warrant was in retaliation for her anti-Trump political decal, and said she was “shocked” to learn there were charges pending against her.
“I turned around and he told me there was a warrant for my arrest,” she told KPRC. “I had no idea that I had one.”
Sheriff Nehls told KPRC he was “not surprised” by Fonseca’s addition of his name to her window display, which he called “disgusting.”
Fonseca is scheduled to appear in court on Friday in relation to the fraudulent use or possession of identifying information offense.