A Mid-Michigan man has pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement officers during the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol.
Matthew Krol, 64, from Linden, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon. It's a felony charge, and he's scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 15, 2023.
Krol reportedly left his home in Michigan and headed to Washington D.C. for the "Stop the Steal" rally, heading for the Capitol after the rally was over.
The feds say Krol pushed through a crowd of rioters on the Lower West Plaza, threw a water bottle at police officers and then attacked them.
Court documents say Krol grabbed a Metropolitan police officer and tried to pull away the baton. He spun the officer around multiple times and then got the baton free, according to the feds. They say he then showed it to the crowd in celebration.
Officials say Krol then moved toward the police line and held the baton above his head. He then swung it down, hitting an officer as the officer held his baton in a defensive position. Krol turned and hit another police officer in the shield, and then attacked a U.S. Capitol Police Officer with the baton.
More than 1,100 people have been arrested i nearly all 50 states for crimes relating to the U.S. Capitol riots on Jan. 6, 2021. More than 350 have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.
