Lanexa man accused of causing Capitol officer to hit head, lose consciousness during Jan. 6 riot

LANEXA, Va. (WAVY) — A 35-year-old man from Lanexa has been charged with causing a U.S. Capitol Police officer to fall and hit her head and lose consciousness during the breach of the Capitol Building on Jan. 6.

Paul Russell Johnson, 35, is facing several federal charges including inflicting bodily injury on certain officers; obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder; obstruction of justice and Congress; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds; and acts of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release sent Wednesday.

He made his first appearance in court on April 14.

Authorities say Johnson was at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and was seen on video allegedly assaulting a Capitol Police officer and being disorderly.

In the footage, which has been reviewed by the FBI, Johnson was in a crowd of people that walked through and around the first line of barricades just off Peace Circle. The crowd approached a second line of barricades that was guarded by Capitol Police officers.

As they moved toward the second set of barricades, Johnson allegedly could be seen and heard holding a megaphone and shouting profanities at police, such as “Let’s go! F— this s—! We pay your bills, you back the f— off.”

The Department of Justice says Johnson then got confrontational and pushed and pulled on the metal barricades. That caused a Capitol Police to fall and hit her head on the stairs before going unconscious.

Johnson then ran up the steps further into the restricted area, authorities said.

Hours later, that officer lost consciousness again and collapsed while arresting someone. She was taken to the emergency room, where health care workers told her she had suffered a concussion.

Later in the evening of Jan. 6, the Department of Justice says a YouTube account posted a video featuring Johnson, who recounted what happened earlier at the Capitol. He allegedly said he broke through the barricades.

Authorities say he stated: “There’s three sets of gates before you get to the stairs of the Capitol. Alright? We get to the next gate. There’s probably … there’s a s— load of cops up there then. Second wing, we breached, pulled up, start throwing s—. I mean we’re fu-, we’re fighting cops and s—. I have video where I’m slinging one around…”

Johnson is not the only Hampton Roads resident charged in connection with the breach at the Capitol, which left multiple people dead, including a Capitol Police officer.

Hundreds of others are also facing charges in the riot.

One man seen in videos and photos wearing a “Camp Auschwitz” sweatshirt during the Capitol breach was arrested less than a week after the riot. He is from Hampton Roads and owns property in Hampton.

In January, a man and woman from Mathews County were also charged with entering the Capitol’s restricted area during the attack. A Virginia Beach charter boat captain who became known last year for refusing to bring Democrats on his boat was also charged for his alleged participation in the riot.

Then, in February, the FBI Norfolk said it had arrested a California man in Virginia Beach. He was seen on video smoking marijuana inside the Capitol Rotunda while wearing American flag pants.

Shortly after the California man’s arrest in Virginia Beach, a Williamsburg man was arrested at his home and charged with engaging in violence at the Capitol and obstruction of justice, among other charges.

Two brothers from Virginia Beach were charged in March with unlawful entry in connection with the Capitol breach.