Yulee man charged in Jan. 6 Capitol breach

A man from Yulee man has become the latest Northeast Florida person arrested on charges related to the Jan. 6th breach of the U.S. Capitol.

Garth Walton, 32, was arrested Monday on charge of civil disorder and assaulting or impeding officers, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. In addition to those felonies, Walton faces several misdemeanor charges including entering a restricted area and acts of physical violence in the Capitol grounds.

Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.

An image from police bodycam shows Gart Walton on the U.S. Capitol steps, shoving a barricade at officers on Jan. 6, 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. | U.S. Attorney’s Office

Police bodycam footage shows Walton on Capitol grounds as officers formed a defensive line outside the building, court documents say. Wearing a red and blue Trump ball cap, Walton is seen grabbing a barricade and pushing it into the officers. He is then seen pushing the barricade again before throwing a pole at officers, documents say.

Investigators also learned that Walton stayed at a hotel in Washington, D.C., from Jan. 5 to 7 in 2021. Investigators showed images of Walton from Jan. 6 to Nassau County sheriff’s deputies, who confirmed it was the same person they saw at an incident July 1, 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,470 people have been charged nationwide for crimes related to the Capitol, including at least seven in the Jacksonville area, U.S. Attorney’s Office documents show.