Centerville man accused of assaulting police at U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6

Centerville: On January 7, a man from Centerville and his son were accused of attacking police during the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. Joseph Charles Valentour, 66, and his 26-year-old son, Jonathan Wayne “Duke” Valentour, from Boulder, Colorado, are facing some serious charges in federal court.

They’ve been hit with felony charges for assaulting officers and obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder. Plus, they’re looking at five misdemeanors related to entering restricted areas and causing a ruckus. Joseph was arrested in Dayton, while Duke was taken into custody in Colorado.

The FBI had been keeping an eye on Joseph, suspecting him of assaulting multiple police officers during the Capitol breach. Body camera footage reportedly shows him getting a bit too close to the police line and then backing into it on purpose. When an officer tried to push him back, other rioters jumped in and dragged the officer into the crowd.

Things escalated when Joseph was seen pushing against the police line again. He allegedly touched an officer’s shield multiple times and tried to disarm the officer. According to the complaint, his actions led to an officer falling down the stairs.

Duke was right there with his dad, pushing people into the police line. After trying to interfere with the officers, he got pushed down the steps but came back up with another rioter to try again. When a police officer sprayed pepper spray in his direction, he quickly retreated back into the crowd. It’s a wild situation that’s still unfolding.