Independent Record, Helena, Mont.
(TNS)
Jan. 11—The U.S. Attorney's Office said Thursday that Frank Dahlquist, Helena's West Valley Fire Rescue chief, has been charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection in Washington, D.C.
Dahlquist, 45, also faces several misdemeanor offenses, including knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, a U.S. Department of Justice news release states.
He was arrested by FBI agents Wednesday and appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris in Great Falls. He reportedly will appear remotely Jan. 18 in front of a District of Columbia U.S. District Court judge.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
According to allegations in court documents, Dahlquist, a former Washington state firefighter, was depicted in multiple photographs and video footage from entities in and around the United States Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
"In the media footage, Dahlquist can be seen wearing a black hoodie with "1776" in white numerals surrounded by white stars on the front," the news release states. "According to court documents, Dahlquist was present on the West Plaza of Capitol grounds and was photographed and video-recorded assaulting and attempting to assault police officers."
The FBI asserts media footage shows Dahlquist "spraying an orange-colored chemical agent directly into the face of a police officer. Following this attack, the officer was required to seek medical attention. Dahlquist was then captured on body-worn camera footage spraying a chemical agent toward the face of a Metropolitan Police Department officer. This officer was also required to seek medical attention."
Dahlquist also allegedly entered the Capitol, where he walked around recording his progress with his cellphone camera for about 20 minutes before returning outside where he "continued to engage with law enforcement," for about another hour.
This case is being investigated by the FBI's Salt Lake City, Seattle and Washington Field Offices. "Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department," the news release states.
"Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Montana," the news release states.
Dahlquist was sworn in November 2022 as the new fire chief of West Valley Fire Rescue, replacing Jerry Shepherd, who retired. He and his family moved to Helena from Monroe, Washington, West Valley officials said.
West Valley Fire Rescue states on its website it is the largest fire district in Lewis and Clark County. Covering about 1,100 square miles, serving 20,000 residents and receives 1,000 emergency calls per year.
Consolidation between Lewis & Clark County Fire District and WVFR occurred in 2021, and it now covers areas north, south and west of Helena. This includes West Helena Valley, Unionville, Whitlatch, North Hills and Lewis and Clark County.
West Valley, a 40-volunteer member agency, responds to structure fires, wildland fires, motor vehicle accidents, hazmat incidents and medical emergencies.
Marc Boutilier, chair of West Valley Fire Rescue board of trustees, declined comment Thursday, saying the board is still gathering information.
Dahlquist is the third Helena-area resident charged in the insurrection after East Helena brothers Joshua and Jerod Hughes received 38 months and 46 months in prison, respectively, for their participation.
In the 36 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,265 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 440 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony, the U.S. Department of Justice states. The investigation remains ongoing.
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