GREENTOWN, Pa. — A 43-year-old man from Pike County is the latest to face charges for attacking a police officer and breaching the U.S. Capitol during the riot in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021.
Daniel Collins, of Greene Township, is the 10th person from from our area of northeastern and central Pennsylvania arrested by the FBI for taking part in the infamous attempt to disrupt certification of President Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s election victory over former President Donald J. Trump, according to Justice Department records.
"1776 BABY!" Collins yelled, according to a criminal complaint, as he put his arm around a statue of George Washington inside the Capitol.
Collins was among a group of people who attacked police on the northwest side of the U.S. Capitol grounds shortly around 2 p.m. that day, the FBI said. During the scuffle, Collins allegedly grabbed an officer by the neck and nearly brought the officer to the ground.
As the two sides regrouped from the clash, Collins took out his cell phone to record the police.
"It's a peaceful protest," he said. "What are you doing?"
He entered the Capitol building just before 2:20 p.m. and reportedly batted at a chandelier using a battle flag of the design believed flown during the battle of Bunker Hill in the American Revolution.
After 3 p.m., police tried to clear rioters from the Rotunda but were met with resistance. Collins, authorities said, was part of the group fighting back.
"I think I'm going to jail soon," Collins said, according to a criminal complaint.
However, it would be years until the government brought charges against Collins. He would not speak with the FBI in late 2022, though the agents noted he wore the same style baseball hat he reportedly wore during the attack.
"Collins refused to be interviewed but related that Black Lives Matter did far worse than the Capitol riots and that the election was rigged," echoing Trump's stolen election lie, which animated the riot that day and is still repeated by Trump and his supporters nearly four years later.
A tipster informed on Collins to the FBI, which then pieced together his movements that day using texts, photos, videos and footage from open-source cameras.
Collins was arrested Aug. 6 and released pending further proceedings. He's next scheduled to appear in federal court in Washington on Oct. 29 on charges including assaulting the police.
Attempts to reach Collins and his attorney for comment were unsuccessful.
Since Jan. 6, 2021, the FBI arrested more than nearly 1,500, including roughly 80 from Pennsylvania.