PEN ARGYL, Pa. — Federal prosecutors announced charges against retired NASCAR driver Tighe Scott and his son Wednesday, alleging the two assaulted police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection.
Scott, a Pen Argyl borough resident, and his son Jarett Scott, 48, of Saylorsburg, were each charged with obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, both felonies, and five misdemeanors — entering or remaining in restricted buildings or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly or disruptive conduct in a Capitol building or grounds, violence in Capitol building or grounds.
The FBI arrested the Scotts and Scott Slater Jr. and Scott Slater Sr., both of Saylorsburg, earlier Wednesday. They are expected to appear in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, according to a news release by the District of Columbia's U.S. Attorney's Office.
Prosecutors said the four men were caught on body camera footage and social media attending then-President Donald Trump's Stop the Steal Rally together before heading to the U.S. Capitol Building.
The criminal investigation into the assault on the Capitol is the largest in American history; more than 1,400 people have been charged for various roles in the riot.
Slater Jr. was filmed cursing at officers and challenging them to fight around 4 p.m., prosecutors said. He then threw a flagpole and an “area closed” sign at the line of police dressed in riot gear, according to prosecutors.
When police attempted to clear the Upper Northwest Terrace of the Capitol Building, the four men ignored orders to move back and pushed back against the officers. Body camera footage shows Jarrett Scott and Slater Sr. were wielding golf clubs and Tighe Scott attempted to rip a riot shield out of an officer's hands, according to prosecutors.
The criminal investigation into the assault on the Capitol is the largest in American history; more than 1,400 people have been charged for various roles in the riot.
Tighe Scott participated in NASCAR races between 1976 and 1982 with his best showing coming in a 13th place finish in the 1978 Winston Cup. A Republican, he briefly ran for an open seat on the Pen Argyl Area School Board last year but dropped out before the primary.
A phone number for the Scotts was not immediately available. Their cases had not yet been entered into the federal database as of 7:10 p.m., and it was unclear if they had retained an attorney.
