Mill Valley Man Who Fled To Belarus Charged With Assaulting Officers In January 6 Capitol Attack
MILL VALLEY (CBS SF) – A Marin County man who has fled to Belarus was indicted on multiple charges, including the alleged assault of police officers, in connection with the January 6 attack at the United States Capitol.
Evan Neumann, a 49-year-old from Mill Valley, was indicted Friday on 14 counts, including engaging in physical violence, civil disorder, along with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers.
Neumann is among more than 700 people who have been charged in the riot, where supporters of former President Donald Trump attacked the Capitol, delaying Congress' certification of Joe Biden winning the 2020 presidential election.
According to court documents, Neumann was first seen berating law enforcement attempting to protect the Capitol. He then grabbed a metal barricade and shoved it into officers and punched officers with his fist.
• ALSO READ: Criminal Complaint Against Neumann (.pdf)
Prosecutors said he and others then broke down the barricades and used a barricade as a battering ram towards the officers. Neumann eventually made his way to the Capitol building and remained in restricted grounds hours later, defying repeated orders to leave the Capitol steps.
Neumann is accused of assaulting three officers from the Metropolitan Police Department and one officer from the U.S. Capitol Police, according to the indictment.
On February 16, prosecutors said Neumann fled the United States. He made his way to Belarus and last month was interviewed by state TV as he sought asylum in the eastern European country.
"I don't think I have committed some kind of a crime," Neumann said according to a Belarus 1 voiceover of his interview remarks. "One of the charges was very offensive; it alleges that I hit a police officer. It doesn't have any grounds to it."
Authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Neumann. Belarus does not have an extradition treaty with the United States.
