Granite Bay man charged with assaulting officer during Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot
GRANITE BAY — A Northern California man was arrested last week on accusations he assaulted an officer during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, prosecutors announced Monday.
The U.S. Attorney's Office Eastern District of California said that Granite Bay resident Dane Christoffer Thompson, 45, faces two felony charges and five misdemeanor charges related to the assault and the capitol breach, which happened during a U.S. Congress joint session to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Thompson was arrested at his home on Friday, November 22 and made his first appearance in court on Monday.
According to prosecutors, Thompson first attended the "Stop the Steal Rally" near the National Mall in Washington, D.C., before marching with a large crowd of supporters of former President Donald Trump to the capitol building.
Thompson was reportedly captured on video and in images directly in front of police barricades. Thompson was among a group of of rioters whoe tried to force their way past the barricades.
Prosecutors said the images show Thompson tried to wrestle a bike rack from an officer, lunged toward an officer and at one point drove his back into an officer with other rioters to force their way closer to the capitol. Prosecutors said body camera footage shows Thompson at one point attempting to grab an officer being he was grabbed by a different officer.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said Thompson was one of more than 1,500 people who have been charged in the January 6 event.