Payson man allegedly ‘lunged at police’ with stun gun at U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6
A Payson man was arrested on Tuesday, April 2 in connection to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, after prosecutors say he lunged at officers with a stun gun. Zach Rash, a 24-year-old man from Payson, Utah, has been charged with felony offenses related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The charges stem from assault, construction of law enforcement during civil disorder, and disorderly conduct in a restricted building or grounds. Rash allegedly lunged at officers with a stun gun, triggering the stun gun numerous times. He is the 16th Utahn to be charged in connection to the incident.
Published : 4 weeks ago by Derick Fox in Politics
PAYSON, Utah (ABC4) — A Payson man was arrested on Tuesday, April 2 in connection to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, after prosecutors say he lunged at officers with a stun gun.
Zach Rash, 24, has been charged with felony offenses of construction of law enforcement during civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding officers and inflicting bodily injury.
Charges also include misdemeanors for entering a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and acts of physical violence in a Capitol building.
Rash is the 16th Utahn to be charged in connection to the Capitol breach on Jan. 6.
According to court documents, Rash traveled to Washington D.C. to attend former President Donald Trump’s rally on Jan. 6. He later confronted an established police line on the West Plaza on Capitol Grounds while carrying a fire extinguisher. When that police line collapsed, Rash allegedly joined the rioters in climbing stairs and scaffolding, making his way toward the Inauguration Tunnel Entrance.
“Rash moved to various locations inside the Tunnel and eventually moved toward the front of the crowd of rioters,” The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colombia said in a press release. “In Capitol building closed-circuit television footage (CCTV), another rioter is seen removing a stun gun from his pocket and sparking it to ensure that it was operational. … The rioter waived the stun gun and offered it to others. Rash then reached for the stun gun and took it.”
With the stun gun in hand, prosecutors say Rash “lunged toward officers” in the Tunnel multiple times, triggering the stun gun numerous times. During the push against Capitol officers, Rash allegedly called on others to join the melee in the Tunnel, including coordinating a “Heve-Ho” push against the police line.
Rash allegedly rejoined the front of the mob where CCTV reportedly captured Rash obstructing officers’ efforts to close a door.
“Rash, along with other rioters, struggled with officers to keep the door open, facilitating ongoing attempts by rioters to assault and push through officers in the Tunnel,” the press release states. “Rash remained in this position for nearly 10 minutes until approximately 3:13 p.m. At this time, Rash moved toward the Tunnel entrance, eventually departing the Tunnel at 3:15 p.m.”